The Dragon Lord's Son
by TheNightFury
Summary: AU, when Arthur was born, Ygraine didn't die, and Balinor was named the court sorcerer of Camelot. Shortly after Merlin is born though, Balinor and Hunith are killed, so Uther decides to take Merlin in as his ward.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

**Hello my faithful readers, so you all voted, and here it is! Hope it's what you expected if not, I really hope you like it anyways. This chapter is kind of short and jumps ahead a lot BUT the whole story won't be like that, promise.**

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><p><strong>*EDIT* So my beta has been fixing up old chapters incase anyone cares or wants to reread this.<strong>

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><p>Camelot rejoiced when their new prince was born. All of Camelot celebrated, especially when Ygraine recovered from the strange illness that nearly took her life. Gaius, by some miracle was able to whip up a remedy for her, though where he obtained it remained a mystery. Uther hardly bothered himself with that; he had a beautiful healthy son, and his wife would recover. What else was there to worry about?<p>

Not to long after that, Uther's old friend Balinor returned, but this time he came with a woman that was apparently his wife: Hunith. Uther instantly named Balinor his court sorcerer and gave both Balinor and his wife a place in the castle. Hunith loved taking care of Arthur, and Arthur loved her. Despite her remarkable recovery, Ygraine fell ill often, and usually was too weak to even get out of bed. Every time Hunith would take it upon herself to care for both Arthur and Ygraine.

Hunith could never truly understand the depths of Uther's gratitude. As much as he'd like to, he simply could not always be there to care for his son and wife. As King, he had to take care of his people as well. When Arthur turned three, Hunith became pregnant, and Uther couldn't have been happier for his friend.

At first Uther worried that Arthur would become jealous or feel ignored. In fact, it was the opposite. Arthur would go on for hours about all the things he and his new 'brother' would do. Hunith would laugh and tell him they didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, but Arthur insisted the baby would be a boy and eventually Hunith even started referring to the baby as 'he' instead of the baby. Then the unthinkable happened: Hunith went into labor two months early.

Balinor was beside himself with worry for his wife and the baby. Most newborns born this early died shortly after birth, more times then not taking the mother with them. A few hours later Gaius burst into the council meeting insisting that Balinor come immediately. Fearing the worst for his friend Uther ran out after Balinor. Uther froze in the doorway of Balinor's chambers, a smile forming on his face. Ygraine was sitting on the bed beside Hunith, gushing over the tiny bundle in Hunith's arms.

"It's a boy!" Ygraine whispered, tears of joy leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

"Told you" A small voice whispered triumphantly. Uther turned to see Arthur peeking in the doorway, grinning,

"What's his name?" Uther asked.

"Merlin," Hunith replied smiling. Ygraine stood and let Balinor sit in her spot. Balinor wrapped an arm around his wife and kissed her forehead. He tentatively reached down and stroked Merlin's thin cheek. That's when Uther really saw how tiny Merlin was; even for a baby he was so small.

"Will he be ok?" Uther whispered to Gaius who'd remained quiet throughout the entire conversation.

"He's not out of the woods yet," Gaius replied slowly, "but for the most part he seems pretty healthy. I have a feeling he will make it." Uther breathed a sigh of relief as Hunith asked in a hushed tone,

"Arthur, would you like to meet Merlin?"

Arthur nodded excitedly and ran over to the bed. Balinor helped pull Arthur up on the bed and set him down on Hunith's other side.

"We're gonna be best friends Merlin," Arthur declared reaching a tiny hand out. Merlin clamped onto it tightly and Arthur laughed,

"He likes me!"

"It would seem so," Hunith whispered. From that moment on Merlin and Arthur where inseparable. He was always asking if he could help take care of Merlin, and when Hunith asked him why he was so sure he and Merlin would be friends Arthur replied,

"A big gold lizard said so!" Ygraine laughed and scooped Arthur up in her arms.

"Of course sweetheart," She replied kindly.

"But it's true!" Arthur whined.

When Merlin was old enough to walk, he started following Arthur like a lost puppy; he looked up to Arthur, and did everything with him. He went to training with Arthur, even though time and again he proved his uselessness with a sword; and he waited faithfully by the door when Arthur sat with his father during dull meetings.

Arthur took it upon himself to look after Merlin like a good older brother would. When some of the older boys made fun of Merlin for being so weak, Arthur took it upon himself to teach them a lesson, resulting in a black eye for Arthur and a hysterical Merlin. Uther might have been angry about Arthur's sudden attachment to Merlin, but Merlin was the son of a good friend. He secretly wondered if one day Merlin would follow in his father's footsteps and become the court sorcerer when Arthur became king. Balinor was sure Merlin was a warlock; he'd seen the small bursts of magic himself, while Merlin remained oblivious to his powers.

All of the residents of the castle, including Uther, very quickly grew to love Merlin: his innocent smile; the way he was so full of life and energy; and the way he could make you smile after a hard day. Ygraine especially loved Merlin; she treated him like a second son. Whenever she got sick and Hunith was busy, Uther often found Merlin curled up on her lap telling story's to make her feel better. To Uther, it seemed life couldn't be better, until one day everything came crashing down. It was a few days after Merlin turned five. Uther was in a meeting with Balinor and the rest of the council discussing border issues when Gaius burst into the council chambers breathlessly.

"What's wrong Gaius?" Uther asked worried.

"Sire, you must come quickly!" Gaius gasped.

"What's happened?" Uther asked standing up.

"It's Ygraine, Sire," Gaius explained, "She'd dying…"

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So this was just the intro, don't worry the whole story won't be like this, I just had a lot of stuff I wanted to get in the story but didn't want to spend a million chapters going into it all in detail… hope you enjoyed it**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

**I was so overwhelmed with all of the reviews and alerts I got for this story; I got 50 emails this morning from all of them! And even more throughout the day so thank you guys so much! You all are the reason I try and update so much!**

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><p><strong>*Edit* Here's the fixed version of chapter 2<strong>

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><p>Uther was sure he'd heard Gaius wrong; his sweet Ygraine couldn't be dying…<p>

"She doesn't have much time," Gaius insisted. Uther ran to his chambers, ignoring the servants questioning glances. He even nearly knocked Merlin over in his haste, not even responding to Arthur's screams to apologize to Merlin. All he could think about was his poor Ygraine. He burst into his chambers to find Ygraine slumped into the pillows, her breath short and sweat covering her face. Uther collapsed onto the bed and took her pale hand in his own. She gave him a weak smile and whispered,

"Uther… Please… Take care of him…"

"There must be something" Uther pleaded. She shook her head slowly.

"Gaius did… Everything he could… Don't be angry…"

"No… Never," Uther whispered, tears streaming down his face.

"Mother?" Arthur asked, panic evident in his voice.

"Arthur…" Ygraine whispered. "Come here sweetie." Arthur ran over to his mother, quickly climbing onto the bed.

"What's going on? Why's dad crying?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur… I'm sick" Ygraine explained.

"Gaius will make you better! He always does!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Not this time honey" Ygraine whispered as gently as possible.

"You're gonna be ok right?" Merlin asked in a small voice, still standing by the doorway.

"Merlin, come here," Ygraine beckoned, her voice becoming more breathless. Merlin obeyed and ran over to the bed. Uther bent over and picked up Merlin and set him on the bed. Merlin crawled onto her lap and she hugged him tightly, also hugging Arthur to her side.

"I need you two to be strong for me… I love you both so much…" She whispered with as much strength as her body would allow. Arthur, seeming to understand a little better what was happening nodded his head, tears streaming down his face.

"You'll get better Gaius will make it better!" Merlin exclaimed, fear evident in his eyes. They could melt even a stone heart. Ygraine grimaced and opened her mouth to try and explain, but instead she gasped in pain and slumped down.

"Ygraine?" Uther whispered, and when he got no response he pushed Merlin aside and leaned over trying to hear a heartbeat that wasn't there.

"Mom?" Arthur asked, tears streaming down his face more rapidly then ever.

"Why won't she wake up?" Merlin whimpered.

"Get out," Uther whispered, anger flashing in his eyes. "GET OUT!" Merlin and Arthur scrambled out of the room. As Merlin ran he heard Uther let out a heart-wrenching sob. Merlin followed Arthur as he raced through the castle, utterly confused. She would be alright, Gaius would make her better; he always did. Arthur knew that, so why was he so upset? Arthur burst into his room and collapsed onto his bed sobbing.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked tentatively. "What's wrong?"

"You saw what happened!" Arthur sobbed.

"Gaius will make her better…" Merlin replied, unsure what was making his friend so upset.

"Don't you get it?" Arthur snapped, rounding on Merlin. "She's dead! Gone forever! She's _never_ gonna wake up again, EVER!" Merlin stood in the doorway trembling, tears streaming down his face.

"She's…gone?" Merlin whimpered. Arthur slumped over, hating himself for making his friend cry. Arthur nodded his head and Merlin jumped onto the bed wrapping his tiny arms around his friend. Arthur knew that it wasn't becoming of a prince to cry, but he was eight years and he'd just lost his mother, and Merlin wouldn't care if he wasn't acting like a prince. That's why Arthur liked being around Merlin so much: he could be himself. At that moment, nothing mattered; his mom was dead, gone, forever.

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><p>Gaius gravely strode down the hall to Balinor's chambers, knowing that Uther was in no condition to deliver the news. Gaius entered there chamber, his expression grim.<p>

"Is something wrong Gaius?" Hunith asked. Gaius looked between Hunith and Balinor before speaking.

"Ygraine is dead."

"What?" Balinor asked, disbelief written plainly across his face.

"Her sickness was too strong for any of my remedies. She died a few minutes ago and Uther is a mess."

"I'll go talk to him," Balinor informed him, striding out of the room with Gaius hot on his heels. Hunith stood as well, beginning to follow them. She stopped. There was nothing Gaius could do, but maybe there was something _she_ could do. She knew the price would be heavy, but she knew it would be worse if Ygraine wasn't saved. She then walked in the opposite direction, determination written across her features. She stopped when she reached Arthur's room. His door was ajar, like it had been flung open.

She cautiously walked towards to door and smiled at the sad sight before her. Merlin and Arthur were asleep on Arthur's bed; both had tear stains on their cheeks. Arthur clung to Merlin tightly, as if he were the only thing keeping him from falling away. She gently pulled the covers over their sleeping forms and planted a kiss on both of there foreheads and whispered,

"I'll miss you."

She wiped a stray tear off her cheek, and was gone.

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><p>Uther angrily paced the room, completely ignoring Balinor.<p>

"I don't understand… Why did this happen?"

"She was very ill, Sire…" Gaius began but Uther cut him off.

"Why did she get sick though? She was perfectly healthy until Arthur was born…"

"It could be that something happened to her during the birth that caused problems for her…"

"Or… Maybe Nimueh did something to her," Uther growled.

"What does she have to do with this?" Gaius asked.

"She… Ygraine could not conceive. For years we tried but… Nothing. Nimueh said she could help. Ygraine said she'd do anything to have a son…" Gaius and Balinor's eyes widened in horror.

"Didn't she tell you?" Gaius asked.

"Tell me what?" Uther asked angrily.

"When a life is created or saved by magic… Another life must be taken in return," Gaius explained.

Uther stood there frozen, his horror turning to anger.

"This was caused by _magic_?"

"I don't think Nimueh meant for this to-" Gaius began fearfully.

"Magic is _evil_" Uther hissed.

"So you mean to tell me," Balinor growled, "that _I_ am evil? That _Merlin_ is evil?" Uther froze his mind in a whirlwind. He thought about Merlin: the boy who cried when he found a bird with a broken wing; the boy refused to learn how to hunt because he hated to see anything suffer. But Merlin had magic… was Merlin proof that magic wasn't evil, or was he the exception? Either way Uther knew that there wasn't an evil bone in Merlin's body.

"Magic isn't the problem," Gaius whispered, "Nimueh is." That's when Balinor realized that something was wrong, very wrong.

"Gaius… didn't Hunith follow us?" Balinor asked.

"Yes... She was..." Gaius replied slowly then froze. "You don't think she-"

"Find her," Balinor snapped, "_Now!_"

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Will they find Hunith before she gets to where ever she's going? Ok so I'm quickly realizing it will be awhile before we get to 'season 1' I was planning on sort of following the series (keeping in mind all of the changes I made) but it will be awhile before that happens so sit tight and enjoy younger Merlin and Arthur! In case you were wondering why I made Merlin no naïve to what was going on, I kind of based him off of my six year old cousin at her uncles funeral, she really just had no idea what was going on or why everyone was so sad. Hope that explains everything for anyone who was wondering. Please let me know what you think so far, was this up to snuff? Or was it a disappointment after the first chapter?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**

**A lot of things are gonna happen in this chapter, so be prepared!**

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><p>When Arthur heard the warning bells, he knew something was terribly wrong.<p>

"What's going on?" Merlin slurred, having been jarred awake as well.

"I don't know" Arthur admitted, "Let's go find my dad." They slipped out of Arthur's room and wove through the knights frantically running through the castle. Arthur held onto Merlin's hand tightly, as if he was afraid if he let go Merlin would vanish. Arthur strode into Uther's chambers confidently, Merlin cautiously entering after him. Merlin eyed Uther wearily before darting behind his father's legs.

"What's going on?" Arthur asked, causing Uther to pause, eyeing his son wearily. Hus eyes then drifted across the room before landing on Merlin who was cowering behind Balinor's legs. Sighing Uther kneeled down and asked gently,

"Merlin? Can you come out?" Balinor grabbed Merlin's arm and pulled him out from behind his legs.

"I sorry about yelling at you earlier" Uther whispered gently, "I was just… Very upset but that didn't give me a right to do that… Can you forgive me?" Merlin nodded his head and wrapped his arms around Uther's neck.

"What's going on?" Arthur demanded.

"Umm… An intruder" Uther lied, not wanting to upset Merlin, "It's no big deal…"

"Where's momma?" Merlin asked turning to Balinor, stumping him. Did he lie to Merlin? Or be honest? Balinor looked between Uther and Gaius, both of whom where shaking there heads.

"She umm… I believe she was heading down to the kitchens but I'm not sure… Go back to Arthur's room both of you and stay there" Balinor told them.

"But…" Arthur protested.

"Now" Uther ordered sternly. Arthur slumped over and trudged out of the room, Merlin following after him dejectedly.

"If we don't find her… they'll find out what's really going on" Gaius informed them.

"Then we better find her" Balinor replied, throwing the window open and calling out into the night sky.

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><p>Hunith urged the horse to go faster, knowing someone would notice she was missing soon and raise the alarm, and the last thing she needed was a search party to mess with her plans. She slowed her horse as they approached the dock at the Isle of the Blessed. She walked over to the small boat hesitantly and got in, the moment she sat down the boat propelled forward, as if pulled by an invisible force.<p>

The boat stopped by a set of stairs and she climbed them confidently. She purposefully walked deeper and deeper into the Isle, knowing the person who could help her was here. She stopped when she saw a stone alter in the middle of an open court5yard and waited.

"Well" A voice commented, "I didn't expect to see _you_ here."

"Nimueh" Hunith whispered.

"Why do you come here?" Nimueh asked, stepping out from the shadows.

"I want to save Ygraine" Hunith declared.

"You realize that to save a life a life must be taken" Nimueh informed her.

"Yes" Hunith replied confidently.

"Since Ygraine is already dead… This may not work" Nimueh told her, "are you sure you want to sacrifice your life… Even if it may not make a difference?"

"Uther needs Ygraine…" Hunith informed Nimueh, "he is falling apart without her…"

"So it would seem" Nimueh agreed, a wicked smile on her face, "So… instead you will abandon your own family…" Hunith forced herself not to think about her panicked husband, of Merlin. Poor sweet innocent Merlin whom she wouldn't be able to see grow up. She forced herself not to think of any of that because this _was_ for the best, at least she tried to tell herself that. Hunith felt a flash of fear before Nimueh raised her hand and shouted something. The last thing Hunith thought was _please let this work…_

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><p>Arthur angrily paced his room while Merlin sat on the bed, hugging one of Arthur's pillows tightly. For the life of him, Arthur couldn't figure out why his father would just lie to him like that. Arthur heard the guards shouting something about 'finding her' and that combined with Hunith vanishing… Arthur knew something happened, but decided not to mention this to an already panic Merlin, he was too little, he didn't deserve to have to go through so much.<p>

"Why won't mom come back?" Merlin whimpered as more angry shouts could be heard, "I'm scared…" Arthur crawled onto the bed and hugged Merlin.

"It'll be ok…" Arthur assured. The shouts where getting louder now, Arthur cringed and hugged Merlin tightly to his chest when he heard a scream of agony. Merlin let out a sob and begged,

"Make it stop…" The door burst open and a hooded figure strode in hissing,

"_Merlin_."

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><p>Balinor was beside himself with worry for Hunith. As much as Balinor wanted to, he knew he couldn't leave to go after her, Merlin was scared enough as it is, he could only hope that the dragons would find her.<p>

"This is my fault" Uther asked.

"What?" Balinor asked.

"She saw how upset I was about Ygraine… That's why she's doing this…"

"This isn't your fault" Balinor tried assuring him, "She willing chose this…" _Then why are you trying to stop her?_ A wicked voice asked _Uther _is _to blame for this_. No, Balinor told himself sternly, it wouldn't do anything now that Ygraine was dead, it would be a waste of two lives rather then one. A bright light filled the room, distracting Balinor from his wild thoughts, and then he saw Nimueh standing in the middle of the room.

"_You_!" Uther hissed, "Why did you kill Ygraine?"

"Why did you banish me from Camelot?" She hissed.

"You were using dark magic to hurt people, it had to stop!" Uther exclaimed.

"You're nothing but a cruel dictator" Nimueh hissed before turning to Balinor, "Join me… And I will spare you and your son."

"What have you done to Hunith?" Balinor hissed.

"She wanted this" Nimueh replied sounding like she didn't particularly care, "I only did what she asked…"

"She's…dead…" Balinor whispered, pain and rage filling his eyes.

"She new the price for trying to save Ygraine…she knew there was a chance it wouldn't work" Nimueh replied grinning, "join me…and I will help you bring her back…"

"_Murderer!_" Balinor screamed, tears freely flowing, "I would _never_ help you!"

"Then you will pay as well!" Nimueh screeched, "You'll see what it's like to lose everything you ever cared about!" Snarling, Balinor launched himself at Nimueh who, laughing vanished in a whirl of smoke and wind. Balinor landed hard on the floor yelling profanities at her then froze, realization dawning on him.

"_Merlin!_"

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So Huniths dead… Merlin and Arthur are in danger, will Balinor be able to save them in time? Are you at the edge of your seat dying to know how it ends? Well I hope so, review and tell me what you thought!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**You guys are the absolute best readers EVER! 56 reviews last I checked and only three chapters, I have NEVER had so many reviews and it REALLY inspires me to write more, thank you guys so much! This is for you guys!**

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><p>Balinor ran faster then he had in his entire life, all he could about was Merlin, hoping he wasn't to late, hoping that he would lose Merlin before he'd had a chance to live. All of the guards that were supposed to be guarding Arthur's room lay on the floor dead, and the door was blown open. Uther shoved past Balinor who had frozen at the site of the dead guards shouting,<p>

"Arthur? Arthur!" Balinor ran in after Uther expecting the worst. When Balinor first entered the room he wondered if a hurricane had blown through, all the furniture had been overturned and what was left of the bed was lying precariously on its side. Uther was frantically digging through the rubble trying to find Arthur. Uther scooped Arthur up in his arms crying,

"Arthur! Arthur wake up!" Arthur groaned and then his eyes flew open screaming,

"MELRIN!" Arthur looked around the room frantically calling for his friend, tears streaming down his face.

"Arthur what happened?" Balinor demanded.

"Someone blasted the door open" Arthur explained, "She started blowing everything up and kept saying 'Merlin' and… and then the bed blew up and then she grabbed Merlin and jumped out the window… Don't let her hurt him!" With a determined look on his face Balinor ran over to the blasted window and shouted for his dragon to come to him. Arthur gaped open mouthed at the dragon; I was midnight blue with bright green eyes. Before Arthur could really get a good look at it, Balinor jumped out the window and onto the dragon.

"Balinor wait!" Uther shouted but it was too late, Balinor was riding into the night, determined to save his son.

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><p>Merlin fought to escape the bindings on his hands and feet, but it was useless, he couldn't move an inch. The woman had tied him up, gagged him and draped him on the horse in front of her like a sack and they rode at breakneck speed through Camelot and into the forest. Tears flowed freely from the boys eyes as he watched Camelot rapidly fade into the distance, sure that he'd never see the city, his family or his best friend ever again. Suddenly a wall of flames erupted in front of the horse causing it to read and drop Merlin and the woman onto the ground. Pain exploded on Merlin's forehead and he felt blood dripping down his face and onto the ground.<p>

"Let me son go!" A voice shouted that Merlin had been sure he'd never hear again. Merlin wanted to shout from sheer joy, to run into his father's arms, anything, but he was bound and gagged and landed, back turned to his father.

"Emrys is _mine _now! He will help me finally bring Camelot to its knee's" Merlin vaguely wondered why Emrys was, but the thought was shoved out of his mind when he was a fireball explode right in front of him. Merlin heard roaring, and saw balls of fire hitting the trees in front of him, soon though, the roaring stopped and all he heard was his father and the woman shouting things in another language. He knew his father had magic, but had never seen him use it in action, and since he didn't think he had magic, never learned anything. He heard the witch scream in pain again and then silence. Merlin whimpered and tried to roll himself over to no avail.

"Balinor!" A voice shouted in horror. Merlin tried to move to get the persons attention, but it was useless. Eventually, someone must have heard his whimpering because Merlin felt someone scoop him up in there arms. Merlin found himself looking into the pitying eyes of a guard Merlin didn't recognize. Another guard that Merlin believed was Leon's father. Merlin didn't know him that well because the only time he was at the castle was when he was training with Arthur. Leon's dad then took a dagger and cut the ropes and then pulled out the gag.

"Where's my dad?" Merlin whimpered. Both guards looked down at him sadly. Leon's dad took a piece of cloth and wiped the blood off of Merlin's face. When he was finished the other guard shifted Merlin in his arms and carried him over to a figure kneeling on the ground, staring at something lying on the ground motionless. Merlin closed his eyes and buried his head into the guard's chest, his body shaking. He was sure he knew who the person on the floor was, but didn't want to believe it. Merlin felt someone run there hand through his hair and heard Uther whisper,

"Merlin." Merlin opened his eyes and looked over at Uthers tear stained face and felt the tears falling down his own face.

"Is daddy…? Gone?" Merlin whispered his voice cracking pitifully. Uther slowly nodded his head, his face twisted into a look of pure agony. Merlin completely broke down sobbing as Uther scooped Merlin into his own arms. Merlin buried his head in Uther's chest, his then frame wracking with sobs.

Uther carefully shifted Merlin in his arms and pulled himself on his horse. He sat Merlin on the saddle so he was sitting side saddle and wrapped on arm around Merlin tightly and grabbed the reins with the other. Uther rubbed Merlin's shoulder comfortingly as they rode back to Camelot. Balinor had been thrown onto one of the horses, a blanket draped across his body. Uther spared one last pitying glance at the dead dragon, knowing they wouldn't be able to do much for Balinor's friend, and kin. Once they reached Camelot Uther climbed out of the saddle, still hugging Merlin tightly and walked quickly up the steps. Uther walked into his chambers, knowing Arthur at least would be in there, and not only was Arthur there, but Gaius as well. Uther carefully set Merlin on the bed and pried the boy's hands off of him. Merlin pitifully reached his hands out to Uther, desperately needing someone to hold onto. Arthur instinctively climbed onto the bed and pulled Merlin onto his lap wrapping his arms securely around him.

"Balinor is dead" Uther whispered, frightened by how dead his voice sounded.

"Huniths sacrifice was for not" Gaius added, his voice pained. For a moment Uther was confused then it all came flooding back to him, Hunith sacrificing herself to try and save Ygraine, and because of it Merlin was now an orphan.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, fear laced in his voice. Uther looked down at Merlin who pulled himself from his hiding place. Uther kneeled down in front of Merlin and whispered,

"I… I'm so sorry… You're mother… She's gone…" Merlin completely fell apart then, screaming in pain and misery. A glass vase shattered and the doors to Uthers closet burst open, but neither of the two boys noticed, both to absorbed in there pain and misery to notice much else. Gaius hurried out of the room, followed closely by Uther.

"This happened because Nimueh wanted to use Merlin for his magic" Uther whispered.

"I believe so" Gaius agreed.

"I know the legends Gaius" Uther informed him, "if people find out about his powers he'll be hunted like an _animal_…"

"What do you want to do?" Gaius asked.

"I promised Balinor that if something happened I would take care of Merlin… I intend to keep that promise… he'll stay here in the palace. I'll take him as my ward… I know you might not want to do this but… it's just to dangerous for him right now…"

"What are you asking?" Gaius asked.

"I think… until he is older… Merlin's powers need to be bound so that no one can find him and hurt him…" Uther whispered, his voice pleading.

"Are you insane?" Gaius demanded, "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"So you know how many people would try and use Merlin for his power? To many have turned to dark magic Gaius… They wish to destroy Camelot and they will try and harm Merlin to get the power to do so" Gaius explained, "we tried to keep it hidden but somehow Nimueh found out… We can't keep him hidden anymore" Gaius sighed in defeat,

"I know…"

"Gaius, you know that I love Merlin like a son… I hate doing this to him but… I can't see what almost happened to him ever happen again… maybe when he's older and can learn to control it, to hide it better…" Sighing in defeat, Gaius shuffled around the room collecting potions and mixing them together, after a few minutes Gaius held up a dark brown potion saying,

"Merlin's magic runs deep inside of him… using this will severely weaken him. If I feel that it is putting his life in danger I will immediately stop giving it to him."

"Of course" Uther agreed.

"Eventually the potion will lose its effect on him" Gaius added, "but until then it was hide his magic from detection… but Nimueh already knows who he is so if she were to return…" Gaius warned.

"I know" Uther assured taking the potion from Gaius. Uther walked briskly back to his chambers and felt a weak smile tug on the corners of his lips. Merlin was curled up protectively in Arthur's arms; both fast asleep Uther cautiously walked over to the sleeping pair and eased Merlin out of Arthur's grip. Uther cradled Merlin against him and gently shook the boy awake.

"Hm?" Merlin asked tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. Uther almost broke down at the pitiful sight, but he forced himself to hold it together as he whispered,

"Merlin, Gaius wants you to drink this. He thinks it will help you feel better." Merlin nodded his head and sat up a bit and started to drink the potion.

"Will it hurt him? Arthur asked sleepily sitting up.

"It will do much more good then harm" Uther assured. Arthur looked at Uther strangely as Merlin whispered,

"I don't feel good…"

"Gaius said it might make you feel a little sick, its fine, and it should help you sleep though" Uther assured. Merlin dragged himself back to Arthur and curled up in his arms again. Uther wanted to tell them he planned on taking Merlin in, but he decided that it could wait until morning. As the two boys drifted off again Uther could only hope he was doing what was best for Merlin.

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><p><strong>End notes<strong>

**So is binding Merlin's magic for the best? So part way through the next chapter we'll be finally starting on 'The Dragon's Call' YAY! Well hope you enjoyed it and tell me what you think.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**

** You guys are amazing, do you realize that? This is already my most popular story and we're only five chapters in! Seriously you guys rock!**

Merlin felt like something inside of him was missing, something important, something that he couldn't live without. He tried talking to Gaius about it, and he'd shrugged it off, telling Merlin he was suffering from depression, and when Merlin had asked what depression was Gaius had said it was extreme sadness about something. Gaius kept telling Merlin this, but Merlin was sure it was something else. What he felt right after Uther had told him his father was dead Merlin thought _that_ was depression. Whatever it was he was feeling now wasn't that. It started right after Uther had Merlin drink that potion and continued until right before he had to take the stuff again, right before someone forced the stuff down his throat, and he felt something inside of him slowly coming back alive again only to be stuffed out when he drank the stuff.

Gaius must have told Arthur how important it was Merlin drink it everyday because every morning Arthur showed up at Merlin's door with the potion in hand and refused to leave or do anything until he'd seen Merlin drink it. Merlin knew Arthur was only trying to help, but Merlin was sure whatever the stuff was, was only making things worse.

Merlin had never gotten sick before, but these days he was almost always sick. It had started the morning after Balinor's death. Merlin woke up feeling weak and unsteady, something he'd never felt before. Merlin slowly dragged himself out of bed intending to get Gaius, but before he could even reach the floor he collapsed to the floor unable to get up. Arthur panicked when he saw Merlin passed out on the floor and had run all screaming through the castle, begging for Gaius.

Several hours later Merlin woke up to Arthur and Uther watching over him anxiously. Gaius had later told Merlin that the witch had done something that caused an illness much like Ygraine had. Arthur had been terrified that Merlin would die like she had and it had taken several hours to calm Arthur down again. Gaius assured Arthur that Merlin would be fine, as long as he took his medicine every day. Every time Merlin got sick, which were most days, Merlin was forced to stay inside the castle. But, most of the time, Arthur would fearlessly stay with Merlin all day, reading him books or reenacting incidents from training or just talking, it was still miserable though.

While Arthur and the other kids got to go outside to play in the snow, Merlin was confined to his rooms for fear that he would get sick. One day when Merlin was feeling much better then usual, he'd been able to convince Gaius and Uther to let him go out and play with Arthur, barely an hour later though, Merlin had gotten very sick, much sicker then he had ever before. He was bed ridden for three days and banned from going outside when it got to cold.

Merlin sighed and tried to shake the painful thoughts away. He felt like he'd wasted fifteen years of his life wasting away in the castle. Though, on says like these, many of the knights couldn't fathom why it bothered Merlin so much to be stuck in the castle. It was pouring outside, the rain so thick one could only see a few feet in front of themselves, and yet Arthur had insisted on having training still, claiming that wars didn't stop because of a little rain. Everyone knew Arthur was right, but that still didn't make it any less miserable out.

Merlin shut the book he'd been trying to read sighing. Merlin was sitting on the window seal, his favorite spot to read, but the rain kept distracting him. Whoever said people long for what they can't have was dead on. Most people hated the rain, but Merlin had always loved it. Merlin set the book aside and pushed open the window, he stared longingly at the rain, thinking wistfully of the days he and Arthur spent running through the rain without a care in the world. Back then Merlin could go outside whenever he pleased, he didn't have to ask if it was ok or safe he could just go.

He knew that they all meant well, but Merlin felt like he was being smothered, especially by Uther, he was very protective of Merlin, Merlin had been learned the hard way not to complain to anyone close to Uther about someone, it only led to trouble. Merlin continued to watch the rain fall in thick sheets. All he had to do was stick his hand out two feet maybe to feel the rain again, something he hadn't done in years. Merlin slowly extended his hand out, just before he touched it, his door slammed open making Merlin jerk back.

"What where you doing?" Merlin's servant Evan asked.

"Umm…opening the window…it was stuffy in here" Merlin lied. Evan was almost like a friend to Merlin, but Merlin doubted he would understand Merlin wanted to touch the rain, it sounded odd even to Merlin.

"Well if it was warm in here a minute ago it definitely isn't anymore" Evan declared, having noticed Merlin slight shivering as Merlin made a show of putting away the book he'd long since given up on reading. Evan set the basket he'd been carrying down and quickly snapped the window shut. Merlin suppressed a sigh as Evan changed Merlin's sheets.

Right now Merlin was probably the only person who actually liked the rain. While the knights where toiling in the rain, Uther was forced to reschedule an execution, something Merlin was secretly grateful for. Uther claimed that he didn't execute people simply for having magic; it was those who used magic to hurt people that he despised, but lately Merlin felt like Uther was slowly blurring the line between people who used magic for good and people who used it for evil. Merlin felt like Uther was slowly coming to the mind set of magic meant evil, and for some reason Merlin felt very cold when he thought about it. The only magic user Merlin truly hated was the women who'd killed his father, but even after all these years there was still no sign of her. Merlin forced himself to focus on the present when Evan started talking again,

"Uther asked me to tell you that he wants you to meet him downstairs for lunch."

"Thank you" Merlin sighed walking towards the door, "when you've finished that you may have the rest of the day off." Evan grinned and replied,

"Thank you Sire… I mean Merlin." Merlin grinned back and continued out. Merlin's smile faded as he tried to puzzle put why Uther wanted to have lunch with Merlin. He always had meetings during the day so it must be important for him to cancel them to talk to Merlin. Merlin grinned again when he noticed a soaked Arthur trudging through the castle up to his room.

"Couldn't handle a little rain?" Merlin teased.

"Shut up Merlin" Arthur snapped with a faint trace of a smile on his lips.

"Didn't you always say 'a good knight can fight in any weather' or am I remembering wrong?" Arthur glared at Merlin for a minute before an evil grin flashed across his face.

"Merlin I think you need a _big_ hug" Arthur declared spreading his arms out and walking towards Merlin.

"I'm good" Merlin assured backing away from Arthur, noting the large drops of water then dribbled off of his armor.

"No really, you look like you _really_ need one" Arthur insisted.

"No you're soaked!" Merlin shouted turning to run away, but Arthur was faster. He grabbed Merlin's arm and pulled him into a bear hug, and for added measure gave him a noggie, causing his hair to stick up in odd directions from the water on Arthur's hand.

"Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed when he managed to escape Arthur's grip, laughing all the while.

"Arthur!" A horrified voice exclaimed and the two boys cringed, Gaius, "What did you do?" Gaius demanded glaring at Arthur while raising his 'eyebrows of shame' as Merlin liked to call them.

"Hugged Merlin?" Arthur replied hesitantly.

"Merlin go change before you get sick!" Gaius groaned before continuing his rounds. Arthur mouthed, 'sorry'. Merlin shrugged before turning and walking back to way he'd come. Merlin appreciated everything Gaius, Arthur, and Uther did for him, but sometimes he wished they would back of a little, all he could do though was hope that soon Gaius will find a cure to Merlin's strange illness, then maybe he could finally have a life again, because this wasn't living, this was prison and Merlin wanted out. Fast.

**End Notes**

** Ok… I guess I kind of unintentionally lied but I kept thinking about the scene with Merlin reaching out towards the rain and just **_**had**_** to write it and it really helped explain a lot of things so I hope it turned out the way I wanted it to…** **so in the next chapter we **_**really**_** get into 'The Dragon's Call' so keep an eye out for that. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**

**Sorry about not updating yesterday but I was swamped with homework and I put off writing an essay to get this up today! So please don't kill me! (You won't find out what happens if you do!) Any who, this weekend is going to be nuts between crazy Girl Scout Nut sales stuff, my ACT test on Saturday and my friends anti-homecoming party I'm not sure how much time I'll have, but I'll try to update I promise! Well…I got nothing left to say other then enjoy!**

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><p>Merlin couldn't help but appreciate more then ever Evans ability to know when and when not to talk. The moment Merlin walked into his room with wet clothes Evan was digging through Merlin's closet for a new outfit, and had tossed Merlin a new one before he'd taken the damp one off. Minutes later Merlin was hurrying down to the throne room, knowing Uther would start to worry soon.<p>

Merlin paused when he reached the throne room to collect himself, his chest felt strangely tight, and he was starting to feel a little ill again. Merlin forced himself to act fine; he didn't want Arthur to get blamed for Merlin getting sick again. Merlin was mildly surprised to see Morgana sitting at the table, and was even more surprised to see Arthur had beaten him to the throne room. Merlin flashed a quick smile to Gwen when he noticed her standing off in the corner as he walked over to his spot next to Arthur. Uther smiled at Merlin and asked,

"How are you feeling this morning?"

"I feel great actually" Merlin lied, trying to ignore the heaviness that was settling in his head. Uther frowned slightly when he commented off handedly,

"Strange… normally by now you'd be going to Gaius for something to help with a cough or something." Merlin tried to not to let his anger show, reminding himself that Uther was just concerned, he wasn't keeping Merlin locked up in the castle for his own enjoyment, Merlin knew how much Uther hated watching him suffer like this.

"I think whatever Gaius has been giving me is starting to finally work" Merlin replied. Uther grinned,

"That's great news." But Merlin could tell that he was upset, something was bothering him, and Merlin wondered why his 'news' would upset Uther so much. Did he like it when Merlin was sick? Much to Merlin's surprise, Morgana didn't comment. Normally she'd tease Merlin about always having to stay inside and how 'weak' he was. The Arthur would get angry at her, they'd start to yell and Uther would have to break them up. But today, Morgana glared moodily at her plate, ignoring Uther completely. That's when Merlin realized what was happening, Morgana must have gotten into a fight with Uther, and Uther was hoping to ease the tension by having Arthur and Merlin come and have lunch with Uther and Morgana. Morgana slammed her cup down and demanded

"Why are you killing that poor man? All he did was use magic!"

"He was using dark magic…" Uther began but Morgana cut him off,

"All magic is dark magic to you!"

"That's not true!" Uther snapped, "He was hurting innocent people!"

"Every magic user is evil in your eyes!" Morgana snarled as she stood up, "And you disgust me!" Morgana stalked out of the room, leaving the others sitting there stunned. Uther was looking at Merlin with pleading eyes, as if looking for reassurance about something. But what kind of reassurance would he want from Merlin?

"What just happened?" Arthur asked. Uther sighed and replied,

"She has been trying to get me to let the man go for some time now…"

"What did he do?" Merlin asked hesitantly, for some reason Uther got almost angry whenever Merlin mentioned magic. Uther eyed Merlin wearily before sighing and explained,

"He was practicing dark magic, I tolerate magic but I will not allow the use of any form of dark magic." Merlin looked away, the tightness in his chest getting worse. To make matters worse he was starting to get a pounding headache.

"Merlin" Uther scolded, "I know you're not feeling well." Merlin sighed and looked up at Uther.

"I'm just tired of being babied" Merlin explained. Merlin could have sworn Uther looked _relived_ to hear Merlin say that, but the look was gone so quickly that Merlin wondered if he imagined it.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt" Uther whispered, it felt like to words held a thousand meanings, and the look Uther gave Merlin looked guilty. Merlin was sure he was imagining things though, why would Uther feel guilty about Merlin getting sick?

"I know" Merlin assured getting a weak smile from Uther.

"Go see Gaius; maybe he can give you something to help you feel better" Uther told him. Merlin nodded his head before standing up and hurried out of the throne room. The guard loudly shut the door behind Merlin making his head pound even more as wild thoughts swirled around in his head. He wanted to understand what the strange looks Uther kept giving him meant, he wanted to know why he was always so sick, Uther always t6old him the witch had done something to him, but he didn't even remember her casting a spell. Groaning, Merlin brought his hands to his temples and started to massage them, it felt like someone was clawing at the inside of his head, desperately trying to get his attention.

"_Merlin…_" A voice whispered. Merlin whipped around trying to find the person who called his name, but was met with an empty passage.

"Very funny Arthur" Merlin called out.

"_Merlin… Come to me…" _The voice whispered again. It was like the voice was inside of his head.

"Hello?" Merlin asked, but the voice was gone. Deciding his mind was playing tricks on him, he continued to Gaius's chamber. When Merlin reached Gaius's chamber, the door was open and he saw Gaius standing on top of a ladder, reaching into a shelf. Merlin knocked loudly on the door startling Gaius and causing him to tip over on the ladder and plummet to the ground. Merlin felt something rise up inside of him as time seemed to slow down around him. Merlin looked around the room frantically, his mind unable to process what was happening. Merlin spotted a bed and thought about how he could move it under Gaius before he crashed when the bed flew under Gaius on its own. Time speed up again and Gaius loudly crashed onto the bed.

The tightness in Merlin's chest was gone, and the pounding in his forehead lessened slightly. Merlin's mind couldn't seem to process what was happening. Gaius was slowly standing up, and before Gaius could see him, he fled from the room, one thought racing through his mind, _I used magic!_

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><p>Gaius slowly picked himself off of the crushed bed, looking for whoever saved him, but the room was empty. Gaius had a feeling he knew who'd saved him, but he didn't want to believe it. The potion shouldn't have stopped working so suddenly, it should have slowly worn off, but Gaius knew he didn't move the bed, and Merlin was the only other known sorcerer in the castle who'd ever visit Gaius. It made since, the day had finally come that Gaius had been looking foreword to and dreading at the same time. Merlin deserved to know the truth, but Uther would want to know that Merlin had discovered his magic.<p>

Gaius angrily paced the room trying to think about what he should do. After a few minutes of angry pacing a thought occurred to him. Maybe Merlin _didn't_ know about his magic. Maybe Gaius could somehow convince Merlin that magic wasn't involved in the bed moving on its own. It was so far fetched it was laughable, but some sorcerers when they first discover there magic try to deny it, Gaius could only hope Merlin was the same. He needed time to figure out what to do and that was the only way to do it. Determined Gaius strode out of the room intent on finding Merlin before his magic got him into trouble.

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Yes I changed the order a bit but it worked better for the flow of the story. So how far fetched is Gaius's plan? Does it even have a chance of working? Find out tomorrow. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N**

**This chapter gets kind of crazy… Merlin kind of loses it for a little bit here so be prepared. **

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><p>Merlin had no idea where he was going; he just knew that he had to run. Merlin eventually collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath. Merlin's chest felt like it was on fire and his vision blurred. Merlin's head felt like it was about to explode, and he couldn't seem to hold onto a single thought. A thousand voices where screaming in his head, trying to get his attention. Merlin dragged himself into the alcove and let the tears fall. He was scared, petrified, what would Uther do when he found out? Gaius wasn't stupid, he'd figure out what happened and he'd then tell Uther and then Merlin would be dead.<p>

The rational part of Merlin's mind reminded him that Uther didn't kill off anyone with magic, only those who used dark magic. Merlin didn't know what he did, but he knew that using whatever he did wasn't evil, how could saving someone's life be evil? But then Morgana's accusations floated through Merlin's mind _"Every magic user is evil in your eyes!"_ Merlin's trembling grew worse as the truth in her words hit him. Merlin's breathing got more erratic as fear took over. Merlin's mind was in a whirlwind as he tried to sort through his thoughts and the voices screaming in his head, or maybe it was only one person, Merlin wasn't sure anymore. Merlin was losing his mind, the fear and voices overriding ever sensible thought trying to calm him down.

Arthur strode through the hall, not really going anywhere. For the first time in a long time he had the afternoon off. The rain had finally stopped leaving the air smelling fresh and clean. Arthur was considering going to find Merlin and seeing if he wanted to go outside. Merlin had been trapped in the castle for the past few days and would appreciate the fresh air. Just as Arthur turned to go to Merlin's room he heard something and froze. Arthur strained his ears trying to figure out what the noise was when he realized it was crying. Arthur walked to the source of the crying cautiously, but froze when he saw who it was. Merlin was curled up against the wall rocking himself back and forth sobbing hysterically. Arthur collapsed onto the floor next to Merlin and grabbed his shoulders firmly asking frantically,

"Merlin? What's wrong? What happened? Are you ok?" Merlin flung himself at Arthur and clung onto him, burying his face in Arthur's chest.

"Don't let him hurt me…" Merlin whimpered. Anger flared up inside of Arthur, how dare anyone threaten Merlin? Arthur wrapped his arms around Merlin and whispered,

"It's ok Merlin I'm here. No one's going to hurt you." Nothing Arthur did seemed to calm him down though. Merlin was obviously having trouble breathing properly and was panicked.

"Let me get Gaius…" Arthur asked gently but Merlin held on more tightly.

"No… not Gaius please…" Merlin begged in a pitiful voice. Arthur was really beginning to worry. Arthur could only remember one other time Merlin had been like this. Merlin had gotten really sick and had started to hallucinate; he kept seeing terrible things that no one else could. Gaius had given Merlin some potion that knocked him out, but even in sleep Merlin couldn't seem to escape. Arthur, fearing that Merlin was sick again argued,

"Merlin your sick… Gaius might be able to help…"

"NO!" Merlin shouted lifting his head up, "I'm not sick!"

"Merlin listen to me…" Arthur began but Merlin stopped him,

"Uther's gonna kill me" Merlin moaned.

"What?" Arthur asked a feeling of horror filling up inside of him.

"Gaius saw me use magic… He's gonna turn me in…" Merlin whimpered, "I'm not evil…"

"Uther won't hurt you" Arthur assured gently calming down instantly.

"You don't believe me" Merlin whispered accusingly.

"Sire!" Gaius called, "Merlin thank goodness I found you."

"What's going on? He thinks he has magic!" Arthur explained. Arthur could have sword he saw a look of dread pass over the physician's features but it was gone in an instant, making Arthur wonder if he even saw it.

"He's hallucinating sire; he panicked and ran out before I could help him" Gaius explained. Leon appeared and pried Merlin's hands off of Arthur. Merlin fought Leon desperately begging Arthur not to leave him.

"Will he be ok?" Arthur asked Gaius as Leon tried to get a struggling Merlin to stand.

"He needs a few days rest but yes he'll be fine" Gaius assured, looking almost pleased. Arthur started to go over to help Leon, but Gaius held him back, which made Arthur's anger flare up again,

"Gaius he's scared…"

"This is a very delicate situation" Gaius whispered, "I don't want to draw any more attention then necessary." Arthur looked over at Merlin who gave him one last look of betrayal before Leon managed to drag him around the corner. Arthur wanted to believe Gaius, but something felt wrong about the whole thing.

"Just… take care of him" Arthur asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Of course" Gaius assured before following Leon. The whole incident really shook Arthur up, he had no idea what to make of Merlin's declaration that he had magic. Arthur desperately wanted to believe it was just Merlin hallucinating, he really did, but it felt wrong almost. Arthur wanted to go see Merlin and try and figure out what was going on, but Gaius said that Merlin simply needed rest. Throughout all of Merlin's fear, Arthur saw that Merlin really _believed_ he had magic, and the last time Merlin had been this sick he knew that what he was seeing wasn't real. Arthur growled in frustration before stomping off towards the training field in hopes of clearing his head.

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><p>Merlin trembled as Leon led Merlin down the hall. He had no idea what Gaius was planning on doing. Was he going to have Merlin turned in? Would he spare Merlin? Did he even know about Merlin's magic? Did he even care? Maybe this really was all in Merlin's head. But Merlin was so sure he'd use magic, he could <em>feel<em> it inside him. The pounding was getting more intense as the thoughts swirled around in Merlin's head.

"Don't worry Merlin" Leon assured, "Gaius will fix you up." If anyone else had said it, Merlin would have felt insulted or angry even, but Leon was one of the few people who seemed to really care about Merlin's health. Leon's father had been one of the ones to rescue Merlin that night so many years ago, so Leon was one of the few people who understood what Merlin went through. He didn't see Merlin as weak; in fact he'd once told Merlin that he was one of the bravest people he'd met.

Leon pushed the door to Merlin's room open and firmly forced Merlin to sit on his bed. Merlin's eyes darted around the room frantically, what he was looking for exactly he didn't know, and then he heard the voice again,

"_Do not be afraid Merlin…_" Merlin wanted to ask what he shouldn't be afraid of, but Leon already thought Merlin was hallucinating; he didn't want to make himself look even more insane.

"_Come to me…_" The voice faded away, his words echoing in Merlin head. The pressure in Merlin's head faded considerably allowing him a moment's peace, and finally allowed Merlin to start thinking strait. If Gaius was really going to turn him in, he would have taken Merlin strait to Uther. Gaius wouldn't have told Arthur Merlin was sick, he would have told Arthur the truth. Then Merlin remembered that Gaius himself had some magic, so why would he turn Merlin in? Just as he reached this conclusion Gaius walked back into the room carrying a couple vials.

"I've got him" Gaius told Leon. Leon nodded his head and flashed an encouraging smile at Merlin before leaving. Gaius handed Merlin the vial containing Merlin's usual medicine and told him to drink it. Merlin raised the vial to his lips when the voice warned him,

"_Do not drink it…_" Making Merlin hesitate.

"Is something wrong?" Gaius asked.

"I…" Merlin began but the voice was back,

"_You _do_ have magic… the potion has been suppressing it…_"

"It will make you feel better I promise" Gaius whispered. Merlin drank the potion and the voices abruptly stopped but then the headache came back full force. Merlin dropped the empty vial gasping in pain and clutching his head. Gaius pushed the other potion in Merlin's hand and ordered sternly,

"Drink it." The pain was so intense that Merlin didn't have the strength to argue. Merlin drank deeply and instantly fell into sweet oblivion.

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Ok for anyone who thinks this was totally OOC or whatever the right word is, Merlin was having a full blown panic attack, who wouldn't in his situation? He's been thinking for awhile Uther just kills anyone with magic and now he thinks he has magic and Gaius saw him use magic and will turn him into Uther to have him executed. I don't know about you but I'd be freaking out right about now If I where Merlin, not to mention he's got a strange voice in his head ordering him around...maybe I'm over explaining this... I've only seen people have minor panic attacks a few times and so I'm taking a long shot here, suggestions? Will Arthur and Merlin be able to figure out what's going on? What will Gaius do? Merlin? Uther? Review and tell me what you thought!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N**

** So I've had several people mentioning that I have some pretty bad grammar problems and recommend that I get a beta. I do have one but she's already overwhelmed and has several people she betas for and one of my other one shot series for HTTYD, so I'm looking for a beta reader for this story so if anyone knows the 'right' way to find a good beta or wants to be my beta for this story PM me. So other then that enjoy, things start to pick up in this chapter finally!**

Merlin's head was pounding, he had the feeling that someone was trying to get his attention, but couldn't. It was strange, Merlin knew that, but it he couldn't shake the feeling that it was true. Merlin slowly sat up, nearly passing out as he did so, and frowned when he saw Evan running around the room.

"I thought I told you to take the day off" Merlin scolded, trying to ignore his light headedness. Evan jumped slightly and whirled around to face Merlin.

"Gaius wanted someone to keep an eye on you and I volunteered" Evan explained, "Gaius wanted me to fetch him when you woke up..."

"I'm fine…" Merlin began but Evan was gone. Less then a minute later Gaius appeared, Evan hot on his heels.

"I was just coming in to check on you" Gaius explained walking over to the bed, "how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, but I've got this pounding headache…" Merlin began but Gaius cut him off.

"What you need is plenty of rest. And _don't_ go outside" Gaius ordered.

"But…" Merlin protested, infuriated.

"I don't want you getting sicker then you already are" Gaius replied, ignoring Merlin, "Evan, can you go find Arthur? I'm sure he'll want to see Merlin." Evan nodded his head and left the room quickly.

"Merlin" Gaius began slowly, "I don't know what you saw yesterday but it was all in your head and it would be best to forget whatever you…"

"I wasn't imagining it!" Merlin snapped, "It was magic! I know it; I moved the bed to keep you from getting hurt!"

"The bed was there the whole time Merlin" Gaius corrected, "You do not have magic."

"You don't understand" Merlin argued.

"Merlin" Gaius said sternly, "I know magic, this wasn't magic, it was a hallucination, a very vivid one I'll admit but it _wasn't_ real. Now get some rest." Merlin stopped himself from arguing further as he got up and left. Seconds after Gaius left, Arthur walked in asking,

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine" Merlin grumbled refusing to look at Arthur, "I'm on house arrest for the next couple days."

"Just as the weather's cleared up too" Arthur sighed, eyes flickering over to the door.

"Oh well" Merlin sighed.

"Merlin what happened yesterday?" Arthur asked sitting down on the bed. Merlin looked up uncertainly, and locked eyes with Arthur who was watching him intently. Merlin had no idea what to tell him, should he just be honest and _tell_ Arthur that he thinks he has magic? Or lie and say it was just a hallucination? Merlin started rubbing his throbbing temples, trying to sort through his wild thoughts. Something kept telling him that he should be honest with Arthur, maybe he could even help figure out what was going on.

"I'm really confused right now" Merlin admitted, "I'm not really sure what's going on and I just…"

"You can tell me" Arthur assured.

"Yesterday I was feeling a lot worse then usual" Merlin began, "my chest felt tight and my head was pounding. And as I was walking to Gaius's chamber I kept hearing this voice telling me to 'come'. Then it suddenly stopped. When I got to Gaius's chambers he fell off of the ladder he was on and it was like time suddenly slowed down, and then the bed moved under Gaius on its own and then time speed up again. The tightness was gone and I felt alive… later the voice was back telling me to not drink the potion Gaius gave me and while it was talking to me the pain was gone… I felt amazing. When I drank the stuff the voices stopped and it felt like something was missing again. I know it sounds crazy but I think whatever Gaius keeps giving me is doing something to me." Merlin looked up at Arthur who surprisingly wasn't laughing.

"Are you sure you have… Magic?" Arthur asked slowly.

"_Yes_!" Merlin snapped infuriated, "Why won't anyone just _believe_ me? I thought you were my _friend_?"

"I am…" Arthur assured but Merlin wasn't listening.

"Why can't you for once in you life listen to me…" Merlin stopped when he heard trumpets and they both walked over to the nearby window. Arthur flung it open and they leaned out and saw a platform with a man holding an axe and a large group of people surrounding it. The execution was about to happen. They both looked over towards the a group of knights dragging a man onto the platform,

"Let this serve as lesson to all" Uther's voice rang out, "This man, Thomas James Collins is judged guilty of conspiring to use dark magic." Merlin visibly tensed as Uther continued, "In accordance to the laws of Camelot, I Uther Pentdragon have decreed that such uses of magic are banned on penalty of death. There is no room for this sort of magic inside the walls of Camelot." Merlin saw Morgana leaning against the window frame of her room, a pained look on her face. As the man was pushed to his knees Morgana turned away, shutting her eyes tightly. Uther raised his hand and brought it down, and the executioner swung the axe. Uther then went on to declare a celebration for ten years of peace in Camelot, but Merlin wasn't listening. Arthur shut the window and Merlin staggered over to the bed breathing rapidly.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"He's gonna kill me…" Merlin whispered trembling.

"You don't know that…" Arthur argued.

"No I do!" Merlin shouted, pure terror evident in his voice, "_He's going to kill me!_" Arthur gasped as Merlin's eyes flashed gold causing a nearby vase to explode. Merlin looked at Arthur, desperation evident in his eyes.

"Merlin, you need to calm down" Arthur ordered, "your magic is reacting to your emotions."

"So you believe me?" Merlin asked visibly relaxing. Arthur snorted and asked,

"Believe you? Your eyes just turned gold and a vase exploded, how could I _not_ believe you?"

"What am I going to do?" Merlin asked.

"It's not just you Merlin, it's a '_we'_ now" Arthur corrected.

"Fine what are _we_ going to do?" Merlin asked.

"You need to just lay low, do what Gaius says and pretend to keep drinking whatever that stuff is" Arthur began, "I'll talk to me father and we'll go from there."

"Ok" Merlin agreed reluctantly.

"With any luck we'll be able to get through this celebration in one piece" Arthur added.

"Yay another week of being trapped inside the castle" Merlin exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"At least you didn't have to train in the rain" Arthur groaned.

"You choose to do that though" Merlin pointed out grinning.

"I am the future King of Camelot" Arthur declared, "I cannot be seen as weak!" 

"You can be a real prat sometimes you know that?" Merlin asked grinning.

"What did you call me?" Arthur demanded.

"A prat" Merlin replied, smirking. Arthur stared at Merlin incredulously.

"Well you're… an idiot" Arthur declared causing Merlin to burst out laughing, some things just never change.

**End Notes**

** Wow, so things are finally moving along haha. So how **_**will**_ **Arthur's 'plan' work out? **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N**

**Ok so I don't own Merlin BBC does uh… The conversation with the dragon later in the chapter was mostly quoted directly from the show with a few modifications of course…thanks again for reviewing!**

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><p>Merlin didn't know how he was supposed to go on being nice to Gaius and acting like he wasn't afraid of Uther. Merlin made sure that Evan was the one to get his potion the next morning so that he could simply dump the potion when no one was looking. When Gaius came in later to check up on Merlin again, Merlin admitted that Gaius had been right and that he was sorry for acting that way. Looking pleased, Gaius assured Merlin that it was a side effect from the hallucinations, no harm done. Gaius told Merlin to stay in bed for the next few days, but said he could go to the feast the next day if he was feeling well enough.<p>

Merlin was miserable, this was one of the few days that Merlin would have allowed outside and because of his 'illness' he was prevented from really enjoying it. Merlin sat on the window seal again trying to focus on the book he'd been reading the day before, but once again was unable to focus. Merlin had opened the window, letting the warmth fill up the room. Merlin looked outside watching as Arthur expertly threw the dagger at the target strapped to a servants back. The dagger hit the center of the target and the servant dropped the shield and went running after it. Arthur and a couple of the knights burst out laughing and Arthur looked up to Merlin's window. Arthur's laughter quickly stopped when he saw Merlin glaring at him.

With a huff Merlin pulled the window shut and refused to watch Arthur continue to torture the servant. Merlin couldn't begin to fathom why people enjoyed torturing the servants; they didn't do anything to deserve it. Merlin sighed as Evan quickly made Merlin's bed, he would never admit it, but Merlin was jealous of Evan. He could go where ever he wanted whenever he wanted, while Merlin was always trapped inside, having to get permission from both Gaius and Uther before being able to go anywhere. Sometimes Merlin wondered how much better his life would be if he was just a simple servant, he probably wouldn't have had his magic bound all these years and he would be free. Merlin was snapped out of his musings when Arthur loudly entered the room demanding,

"What was with the look?"

"You where torturing that servant" Merlin replied emotionlessly.

"I was training, there's a difference" Arthur snapped.

"I couldn't tell the difference" Merlin snapped.

"What is your problem?" Arthur demanded.

"The problem is while you're out harassing servants I'm stuck inside like some prisoner!" Merlin retorted, glaring at Arthur. Arthur winced and looked away guiltily. Merlin was of course right, that servant didn't deserve that, and Merlin didn't deserve this either.

"I'm sorry" Arthur whispered.

"It's not your fault" Merlin replied.

"How about I fetch your lunches?" Evan asked.

"Please" Merlin agreed. Evan bowed deeply before walking out leaving Arthur and Merlin alone.

"Did Gaius buy it?" Arthur whispered.

"Yea, he looked _relived_ when I said I was hallucinating" Merlin spat, eyes flashing gold. Arthur was only just able to duck out of the way of the cup that Merlin sent flying at Arthur.

"Sorry" Merlin apologized, "I can't really control this yet…"

"You better figure out how to before the feast" Arthur informed him, "the last thing we need is for you to lose control in front of the entire kingdom!"

"I know" Merlin sighed. Arthur was about to say something when Evan walked in balancing two trays piled with food. Arthur shut his mouth as Evan set the two trays on the table. Arthur and Merlin managed to keep a light conversation throughout lunch, Merlin was even enjoying himself. Normally on days like this Arthur, Merlin and sometimes Evan or another servant would ride to a nearby lake and spend the day there. Arthur knew how much Merlin the days Merlin was allowed outside of the castle meant to Merlin and always tried to do things Merlin enjoyed. Merlin appreciated everything Arthur did for him; they had always been very close, almost like brothers.

All things considered, Merlin had to admit the day hadn't been quiet as bad as he'd originally thought it would be. Arthur hung out in Merlin's room until he was forced to go to a meeting with Uther. After the meeting Uther asked Merlin to join him and Arthur for supper, without Morgana the meal was peaceful which was an immense relief to Merlin. To further lift Merlin's spirit, Uther actually looked pleased to see Merlin doing so well, no questions or awkward looks. For the first time in a long time, things were looking up for Merlin.

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin was jolted awake by the voice again,<p>

"_Merlin…_" Why wouldn't the voice leave him alone? "_Merlin_…" Sighing Merlin scoped up one of his jackets and slipped it on over his nightshirt. Merlin cautiously peaked outside his door, stepping out when he saw no guards nearby. Merlin shut the door and started walking towards the dungeons, trying to follow the sound of the voice. Merlin walked down several flights of stairs in the direction of the dungeons.

"_Merlin…_" The voice called as he walked down another flight of stairs. Merlin froze when he saw a couple of guards sitting at a table rolling some dice. Just as one of the guards threw the dice down Merlin sent the dice flying with a flash of his eyes. Merlin sent to the guards chasing after the dice as he slipped past them and down another flight of stairs. Merlin picked up a spare torch and lit it using another torch and continued down the stairs. Merlin paused at the top of an unlit corridor, wondering what lay waiting for him.

"_Merlin…_" The voice called again. Merlin stood there for a moment wondering if he really should be doing this when the voice called again,

"_Merlin…_" Sighing Merlin continued down the stairs knowing whoever it was wouldn't leave him alone until he met them. Merlin cautiously walked down the stairs. The voice called Merlin's name again, telling Merlin that he indeed was going the right way. Merlin walked through a tall archway into a giant cavern. Merlin heard the voice laughing as Merlin moved the torch around trying to get a good look at the cavern.

"Where are you?" Merlin demanded. Suddenly a gold dragon appeared and flew in front of Merlin before landing on the giant stone that stood in the center of the cavern.

"I'm here" The dragon informed Merlin. Merlin stared at the dragon in shock. He, and all of Camelot, believed the dragons where extinct. After Balinor's death, the dragon lords started a war over who would succeed him as Uthers right hand man, the slaughter that occurred had supposedly whipped out all of the dragons and dragon lords, but that apparently was not the case.

"How small you are" The dragon commented, "for such a great destiny."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked staring at him in disbelief, "What destiny?"

"You're gift Merlin" the dragon explained, "was given to you for a reason…"

"So there _is_ a reason" Merlin breathed.

"Yes, Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion" The dragon informed Merlin, causing Merlin to grin.

"Ok" Merlin agreed. Sometime's Arthur could be a real prat, but more times then not, Merlin saw the true king Arthur would be shine through.

"But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike." The dragon continued, causing Merlin to frown, who would want Arthur dead?

"But what does this have to do with me?" Merlin asked.

"Everything!" The dragon exclaimed, "Without you Arthur will never succeed. Without you there will be no Albion." Merlin had trouble believing that, Arthur was one of the best swordsmen in Camelot, while Merlin was the worst. Sure, he had magic but he certainly couldn't _use_ it. How was someone like him supposed to help Arthur? Surely Arthur was more then capable of taking care of himself, Merlin would probably only make matters _worse_ for him.

"You've got the wrong person" Merlin informed the dragon, "there has to be some mistake…"

"There is no right or wrong" The dragon interrupted, "Only what is and isn't."

"Look, I know Arthur will be a great king but… I can't help him… I'm useless…"

"None of us can choose our destiny Merlin" The dragon laughed, "and none of us can escape it."

"No" Merlin replied, "no way… No." The dragon simply laughed again and flew away, "Wait! Merlin called, "I need to know more!" But the dragon continued to fly away and was gone, leaving Merlin more confused then ever.

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**This was ridiculously hard… Most of the conversation was about how Arthur **_**wasn't**_** a good king was in this story Merlin thinks he **_**will be**_ **a good king… hopefully I got this right… so what do you think about the supposedly extinct dragons? Hope you enjoyed it, and let me know what you thought!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N**

**Sorry about the shortness...next chapter _will _be longer I promise_!_**

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><p>Merlin paced his room the next morning angrily, still puzzling over the dragons words. A part of him wanted to talk to Arthur about the dragon, but a larger part wondered if Arthur would simply laugh at Merlin's 'story'. Merlin shook his head trying to clear his head and focused on what Evan was saying,<p>

"…Lady Helen? I hear she's very nice."

"It should be fun" Merlin agreed distractedly.

"It at least will give you a chance to get out of this room" Evan added grinning.

"There's more to the castle then just my room?" Merlin asked sarcastically.

"This is kind of like that one story umm…about the girl locked up in a tower her whole like with magic golden tears…"

"_Please_ don't tell Arthur that" Merlin begged, "Then he'd _never_ stop calling me a girl." What Evan didn't realize how frighteningly accurate that comparison was, locked in a tower, locked in his bedroom, gold tears, eyes that turned gold…

"The king is just trying to do what's best for you" Evan replied off handedly. Merlin couldn't help but wonder how much Uther knew about Gaius's potions he'd been giving Merlin. Did he really think the witch had put some curse on Merlin? Or did he know something more…? Someone loudly knocked on the door and Evan automatically walked over and opened it, bowing deeply. Uther stepped inside nodding his head at Evan who straitened up and left the room shutting the door behind him.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Uther asked looking genuinely concerned.

"I feel great actually" Merlin admitted then added for good measure, "that stuff Gaius gave me helped a lot."

"I'm glad to hear that" Uther replied a genuine smile on his face.

"Gaius even said I could go to the feast" Merlin continued.

"This is wonderful news!" Uther exclaimed, beaming, and Merlin couldn't help but grin back. Any doubts he had about Uther seemed to evaporate. He would _never_ do anything to purposefully hurt Merlin, he had to believe that.

"Please don't overdue it Merlin" Uther begged.

"I'll be careful" Merlin assured rolling his eyes.

"I only say it because I worry" Uther replied, looking solemn.

"I know" Merlin assured.

"Well I have to go greet Lady Helen, I will see you at the feast tonight" Uther informed Merlin sadly as he strode out of the room.

"Of course" Merlin agreed. Uther flashed Merlin one last smile before he left the room, and Evan reappeared seconds after Uther left.

"What did he want?" Evan asked curiously.

"He was just checking up on me" Merlin sighed.

"He really does care" Evan informed Merlin. Merlin knew that, he really did, but it was hard sometimes. As much as he didn't want to, he felt babied a lot of the time, he knew they weren't trying to, it just happened.

* * *

><p>Later as Merlin was heading down to the feast, he almost ran into Arthur who was just about to knock on the door.<p>

"Did Arthur actually dress himself tonight?" Merlin teased. Arthur slapped Merlin playfully and retorted,

"I _can_ dress myself you know… it's the armor that's the problem."

"Of course" Merlin replied grinning cheekily.

"I could take you apart in one blow!" Arthur exclaimed.

"I could take you apart with less" Merlin declared, and Arthur really couldn't argue with that statement, and they both knew it.

"We should probably head down" Arthur decided, trying, and failing, to change the subject. Still grinning, Merlin agreed,

"Probably." The two of them walked down to the feast side by side, keeping there conversation away from anything to do with Merlin's magic. The two entered the hall laughing at Arthur pathetic attempt at being Gaius. Both the boys froze when they saw Morgana walk by. Morgana smirked at them and continued on. Arthur quickly followed after her and Gwen stepped next to Merlin saying,

"She looks lovely doesn't she?"

"Yea" Merlin agreed. He and Gwen had become really good friends over the years, once she'd gotten over the fact that he was the kings ward, but something told Merlin somehow Morgana helped that along.

"Some people are just born to be queen" Gwen added.

"Her?" Merlin asked.

"Well I hope so…one day" Gwen commented trailing off awkwardly.

"She would make a good queen" Merlin agreed.

"Now that I would want to be her!" Gwen exclaimed, "Who'd wanna marry Arthur?" Merlin smirked, knowing that _she_ in fact would want to marry Arthur. Despite everything she'd say against it, Merlin knew she had a small crush on Arthur ever since he'd caught her when she fell out of a tree when they were kids.

"What?" Gwen demanded.

"Nothing" Merlin assured, still grinning. Before Gwen could say anything further, they heard the trumpets start to play and they quickly went there separate ways. Merlin stood next to Arthur on the right while Morgana stood on the left hand side of the table. Grinning Uther walked between the tables to the head table. Once there he turned to face the audience saying,

"For twenty years now we've lived in prosperity, bringing many pleasures to this Kingdome, but few can compare to having the pleasure of introducing Lady Helen of Mora." Uther took his seat in-between Morgana and Arthur as the audience started clapping. The four of them sat down as Lady Helen stepped into the center of the room and began singing.

As she sang Merlin dully noted that she had an enchanting voice, it seemed to lull him into a sense of peace and safety… Merlin jolted upright when he noticed everyone beginning to slump over in their seats. All the candles flickered out and thick cobwebs started to form, covering everyone. He turned to Arthur who had slumped over in his seat, along with the rest of the room. Merlin quickly covered his own ears to keep from falling under the spell as well, but Lady Helen didn't even notice him, her eyes were fixed intently Arthur.

Merlin's heart froze in his chest as she pulled out a dagger, glaring at Merlin with more hate in her eyes then he'd ever seen. Merlin looked around the room frantically, trying to figure out what to do. Then, Merlin noticed she was standing under a chandelier. Merlin fixed his gaze intently on the chandelier, willing it to break. Just as she was about to throw the dagger, the chain holding up the chandelier snapped, causing it to fall on top of her. Once she stopped singing, everyone in the hall started to stir and looked around the room utterly confused. Uther pulled the cobwebs off of himself and looked to the floor, and saw instead of Lady Helen, an old hag.

Before Merlin could process what was happening the hag lifted herself up and threw the dagger at the unsuspecting Arthur before slumping to the floor dead. Time slowed down for Merlin as the dagger flew towards Arthur, who didn't have time to think much less move. Without thinking, Merlin flung himself at Arthur knocking him out of harms way. The dagger embedded itself deeply in Arthur's chair, right where Arthur's heart was. Uther frantically pulled Merlin and Arthur to there feet inspecting them carefully for any signs of injury.

"Are you alright?" Uther demanded, and only after several tense minutes of assuring Uther that they were indeed fine did he let them go. After everyone had settled down again and the hall cleared, Merlin and Arthur walked slowly to there chambers, both lost in deep thought. Arthur followed Merlin into his chambers and after making sure no one was listening Arthur asked,

"You made the chandelier fall on her didn't you?"

"I think my magic made me immune to her enchantment" Merlin explained shrugging.

"Well…you saved my life back there so…thanks" Arthur replied grinning Merlin grinning back, "But" Arthur added making Merlin's face fall, "if you ever throw yourself in harms way like that again I will lock you up in your chambers and never let you leave them again." Arthur pressed his finger against Merlin's chest, looking him strait in the eye. Merlin knew he wasn't joking.

"You're the prince… my life is worth less then yours" Merlin replied.

"Don't _ever_ say that Merlin" Arthur replied, looking seriously, "your life is just as important as any other." Merlin nodded his head in agreement, but secretly he knew that if Arthur was ever put in danger again he would do anything to protect Arthur, because it was Merlin's destiny.

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><p><strong>End notes<strong>

**Ok so the Dragons Call is finally done *whew* sorry about the uberly late update…there was a last minute surprise party for one of my friends and I didn't really have time to plan for that so again sorry! Next chapter will take place during Valiant… with a _lot_ of changes…seriously this will be HARD, but I hope you've enjoyed this fic so far and please keep reviewing!**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N**

**So I re-watched Valiant so I could properly do this and Arthur was **_**so**_ **mean to Merlin! It really showed how much better Arthur is in the fourth season… anyways the point I was meaning to make was this was hard to do because there is a lot of Merlin learning how to be a proper servant and that of course had to be changed so I hope you guys enjoy it still!**

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><p>Merlin stood off to the side watching as Arthur's servant prepared Arthur for the tournament. Knights from across the realm where coming to Camelot to battle Arthur to become champion and one thousand gold pieces. Merlin was mildly surprised by the fact that Uther was still holding the tournament after all that had happened the night before. But, according to Uther, they shouldn't let the witch ruin the tournament. Uther did however send some knights to try and find the real Lady Helen's body so they could have a proper funeral for her; Uther did feel guilty about what happened to her, he felt that if he hadn't asked her to perform the witch might not have killed her.<p>

It had been a long night, but eventually Merlin decided not to tell Arthur about the dragon yet, he still hadn't fully accepted the fact that Merlin had magic, and with the stress of the tournament Merlin felt that it would be too much for Arthur, but he did promise himself to tell Arthur, eventually.

"So are you nervous?" Merlin asked as the servant finished putting Arthur's armor on. Merlin did have to admit, the armor did look pretty complicated, but he'd never tell Arthur that.

"No, I don't get nervous" Arthur replied cockily.

"_Everyone_ get's nervous Arthur" Merlin corrected.

"Shut up _Mer_lin" Arthur snapped playfully, reaching over to grab his sword. Merlin hurried over to his spot in the stands while the knights lined up. Merlin sat down next to Morgana saying,

"Hello."

"Merlin" Morgana greeted.

"Lovely day for a tournament!" Gwen exclaimed trying to ease the awkwardness.

"Yep" Merlin agreed trying to keep up a light conversation. The knights came out soon and the crowd erupted into loud cheers. Uther stepped in front of the knight and started talking about how the tournament would prove who the best knight was. For the life of him, Merlin couldn't figure out how bashing each other would prove who was the bravest, but Arthur loved it so Merlin always came out to support him whenever Gaius allowed it. At first Merlin hated going to the tournaments but after awhile, Merlin actually started to enjoy them a little.

Arthur was the first contestant, the two swung at each other a few times, Arthur easily deflecting all of his opponents blows. Merlin cheered loudly with the rest of the crowd for Arthur when he knocked his opponent to the ground. Even Morgana looked pleased to see Arthur win. Arthur was practically glowing when he pulled of his own helmet in victory, he was truly a master swordsman, and this was what Arthur loved to do. The next opponent was very aggressive and took down his opponent almost as quickly as Arthur beat his. The same man easily beat all of his opponents.

"He's pretty handy with a sword" Merlin commented as he knocked his next opponent to the ground.

"Indeed" Morgana agreed grinning.

* * *

><p>Later at the feast Merlin stood in-between Uther and Morgana as the knights where introduced. The aggressive on was introduced,<p>

"Knight Valiant of the Western Isles" Uther shook his hand saying,

"I saw you fighting today; you have a very aggressive style."

"As my lord said to lose is to be a disgrace" Valiant replied.

"I couldn't agree more" Uther agreed, "My wards, Merlin and the Lady Morgana." Valiant politely shook hands with Merlin before turning to Morgana; he took her hand and kissed it saying,

"My lady."

"I saw you fighting today" Morgana gushed.

"I saw you watching" Valiant agreed, "I understand the champion of the tournament has the honor of escorting my lady to the feast?"

"That's right" Morgana replied.

"Then I will give everything to win the tournament." Valiant replied. They grinned at each other for a minute, "My lady" he bowed before walking away, Morgana watching him still. When Arthur approached he clamped Merlin on the shoulder and Merlin whispered so only he could hear,

"He's a creeper." Arthur fought down a smirk at Merlin's comment and turned to Morgana.

"Jealous?" She asked innocently.

"What is there to be jealous of?" Arthur asked walking away. Merlin heard Gwen whisper,

"Could he be more annoying?"

"I do hope knight Valiant wins" Morgana replied.

"You don't mean that!" Gwen exclaimed.

"But I do" Morgana replied. Merlin rolled his eyes thinking _Girls…_When Merlin was able to leave he instantly sought out Arthur who stood awkwardly by the other knights who were talking to Valiant excitedly.

"You don't like him do you?" Merlin asked.

"He's alright" Arthur replied.

"Even Morgana is smitten" Merlin added feeling slightly put off.

"Is someone jealous?" Arthur teased.

"Why would I be jealous?" Merlin demanded.

"Admit it you've always had a thing for Morgana" Arthur teased.

"Why would I like someone who makes fun of me?" Merlin demanded, feeling his face turn red.

"Because you secretly love the fact that she isn't always babying you" Arthur retorted. It was true, Merlin liked the fact that she didn't treat him like something breakable, but that didn't mean he _liked_ her. She was like a sister, so he told himself.

"That is not true!" Merlin exclaimed.

"So you like being babied?" Arthur asked grinning.

"No I hate it!" Merlin snapped.

"So you like that Morgana…" Arthur began grinning evilly.

"Just shut up!" Merlin snapped at Arthur who started laughing.

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><p>That night, Evan seemed very distracted; he kept fumbling things and was barely paying attention to Merlin. Evan never dropped things and he never completely blew off Merlin like this.<p>

"Evan… Is something wrong?" Merlin asked.

"Nothing Sire…" Evan mumbled.

"It's Merlin" Merlin corrected, "and something's bothering you. You can tell me you know." Evan was silent for a minute, contemplating Merlin's words.

"I think I'm losing my mind" Evan admitted.

"Why?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"I was in the armory helping Knight Valiant with his armor when I heard…hissing."

"Hissing?" Merlin asked.

"Coming from his shield" Evan continued, looking more and more embarrassed, "And I could have sworn I saw the snakes on his shield blinking…"

"Blinking?" Merlin echoed.

"I know it sounds crazy" Evan assured Merlin, thinking Merlin thought he was crazy. But, Merlin knew he wasn't crazy, Merlin was sure magic was somehow involved.

"You're probably just tired" Merlin assured smiling at his friend, "go take the rest of the night off and get plenty of rest. In fact take tomorrow off as well, feel better."

"Really?" Evan asked amazed.

"You've obviously been working too hard" Merlin continued, "Gaius says that people see weird things when they're tired."

"Thank you Merlin" Evan grinned picking up Merlin's plates and walking out the door.

"Get lots of rest!" Merlin called after Evan. Smiling, Evan nodded his head in reassurance before shutting the door behind him. Once Evan was gone Merlin's smile fell. Something weird was going on, and Merlin knew it had something to do with Arthur.

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Like I said a lot of stuff had to be simply omitted because there was just no good way to integrate them into the story like in the beginning when Arthur made Merlin put on the armor and fight him, with Merlin being so 'sick' Gaius would _never_ allow that. So I hope you guys liked it despite all of the changes.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N**

**This was by far one of the hardest chapters I've ever had to write…**

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><p>Merlin wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, he knew that he couldn't go down to the armory to inspect Valiant's shield, to many people would ask questions Merlin just couldn't answer. He knew he should talk to Gaius, but that would mean possibly revealing that he had magic, and he wasn't sure he wanted to do that quiet yet. Merlin finally decided to simply wait and see what happens, who knows maybe Evan <em>did<em> imagine the hissing.

At the tournament Arthur once again easily beat his opponent, much to Uther relief. Merlin fought the urge to roll his eyes. Arthur _never_ lost, so why was Uther so worried? It's like he didn't believe Arthur could do anything. On the other hand Morgana looked bored, but when Valiant came out she immediately perked up. Merlin frowned slightly when he noticed how much more aggressively Valiant was fighting. Merlin looked over at Arthur who was watching Valiant as well, a look of deep concentration on his face. Valiant swung at the other knight who shoved his shield against Valiant's. After a moment, the other knight fell to the ground and Valiant hit him with his sword, and he didn't even stir.

* * *

><p>Later Merlin walked into Gaius's chambers, wanting to know how the knight was fairing. Gaius was bent over the knight inspecting him when Merlin asked,<p>

"How is he?"

"Now well" Gaius admitted, "See those two puncture marks?" Gaius pointed at the knight's neck and Merlin leaned over to look at them, "they seem to be snake bites."

"But how could he have been bitten by a snake?" Merlin asked, "Wasn't he fighting Valiant when he got hurt?"

"Well he has all the signs of a snake bite" Gaius explained and went on to explain the signs he'd been seeing, but Merlin wasn't listening. His mind was reeling with the information he'd just gained. Hadn't the knight been fighting _Valiant_ when he'd gotten injured? And Evan had told him about hearing hissing. What if somehow the shield was enchanted? Merlin knew he needed to go look at Valiant's shield.

"Can you heal him?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"To heal him I'd need to extract venom from the snake that bit him." Gaius replied.

"What happens if he doesn't get the antidote?" Merlin asked.

"He'll die" Gaius replied sadly. Merlin knew what he had to do. Merlin ran out of the room ignoring Gaius's calling,

"Merlin? Is something wrong? Merlin?"

Merlin silently followed Valiant to his room, taking extra care to not be seen by anyone. Merlin hid in the doorway of Valiant's room watching him as ha carefully set down his shield and reached into his bag and pulling out a squirming mouse saying,

"Dinner time." He sat down in from of the shield holding out the mouse and then snakes rose out of the shield. Merlin jumped back in surprise, hitting the door causing it to bang against the wall loudly, startled Merlin ran back into the corridor and hid behind a pillar. Merlin heard Valiant coming out of his room and drawing his sword. As Valiant approached the pillar Merlin cautiously continued to move around it, staying out of Valiant's site. Once Valiant returned to his chambers Merlin ran to Gaius's room.

Merlin was run faster then he'd ever run before, if Gaius knew then he could help the knight… Merlin froze suddenly outside Gaius's chambers. What if he didn't believe him? What if Gaius tried to tell Merlin he was imagining things like last time? And then there was the potential problem of him asking Merlin some very awkward questions. The only person who might listen to him was Arthur, but he was in a meeting with Uther. Merlin didn't have much of a choice, he'd have to try and get Arthur out of the meeting somehow. Merlin tried to walk more calmly down to the council chambers in hopes of attracting less attention.

Merlin awkwardly stood in the doorway of the council chambers, hoping someone would notice him and say something. Just when Merlin was beginning to think he'd have to just speak up and say something, Uther looked up and grinned when he saw Merlin waiting patiently.

"Merlin, is there something you needed?" Uther asked.

"I was hoping I could speak to Arthur" Merlin mumbled, suddenly feeling stupid, "alone." Merlin added. Uther nodded his head and signaled for everyone to leave the room. Merlin frowned slightly when he noticed Uther waiting for Merlin to begin. Noticing Merlin's look Uther assured,

"Anything you can tell Arthur you can tell me." Merlin bit his lip thinking hard. He knew Arthur would believe him easily, but Uther was a whole other story sighing in defeat Merlin blurted out,

"Valiant is cheating!"

"What?" Uther asked clearly distressed.

"Just listen to me" Merlin begged, "the knight that Valiant fought has a snake bite on his neck and got it while he was fighting Valiant and when…uh walking by his room I heard hissing and then I saw snakes _coming out of_ his shield!" Uther was silent for several tense minutes before asking slowly,

"Merlin are you _sure_ you saw this?"

"Yes I'm sure!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Do you think you might have… imagined this?" Uther asked gently.

"I'm not hallucinating!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Merlin I know you're worried about Arthur but I can assure you Valiant…" Uther said soothingly.

"You believe me right Arthur?" Merlin demanded looking at Arthur intently.

"Father, can I have a minute alone with Merlin?" Arthur asked refusing to look at Merlin.

"Of course" Uther replied a forced smile on his face.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked when Uther was gone.

"Merlin maybe you really where seeing things" Arthur whispered gently.

"Arthur you know I wouldn't lie about this!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I don't think you're lying" Arthur assured, "Maybe you where just seeing things…"

"Arthur ask Gaius he'll back me up!" The door flew open and Gaius walked in followed by a guilty looking Uther.

"What's happened?" Gaius asked.

"Merlin's been seeing things again…" Uther explained.

"I'm not crazy!" Merlin shouted, "Gaius tell them what you told me, _tell them_!" Gaius stood there for a minute uncertainly before sighing and explaining,

"Merlin… I was wrong about the snake bite… apparently it's a… scar from a previous…"

"Did Valiant tell you that?" Merlin snarled.

"Merlin that's enough!" Uther snapped. Merlin winced and looked over at Uther whose expression softened slightly.

"Merlin, you're tired and obviously sick…" Gaius began.

"I'm not sick!" Merlin exclaimed but Gaius continued like he hadn't spoken,

"What you need is a good night's rest and you'll feel better." Gaius and Arthur firmly grabbed Merlin's arms and led him to his chambers. The whole time Merlin was begging for them to just listen to him, but they completely ignored him. Gaius kept shooting Merlin looks as if begging him to calm down, but Merlin was to angry to care.

"Now Merlin please just stay here and get some rest" Gaius begged. Merlin glared at the fireplace, refusing to answer.

"I thought you where my friend" Merlin growled. Arthur froze, and looked uncertainly back at Merlin before walking out. Once he was alone Merlin screaming and punched the wall, the flames reacted to Merlin's anger, and flared up filling the entire fire place. Merlin sunk to the floor tears streaming down his face. Why didn't anyone believe him? And then, anger at that stupid dragon flared up inside of Merlin, him and his ramblings about Merlin's 'destiny'.

Merlin picked himself off of the floor and ran down to the dungeons, sneaking past all of the guards that had been stationed around Merlin's room. The cavern was empty when he got there but, he knew that the dragon was still listening.

"Whatever you think I'm supposed to do, whatever 'destiny' you think I have, you've got the wrong person!" Merlin shouted and was greeted by silence, "That's it… I'm done." Merlin turned to leave but then he heard the dragon's voice saying,

"If only it where that easy to escape destiny." The dragon flew down and landed in front of Merlin.

"How can it be my destiny to protect someone who refuses to believe anything I say?" Merlin demanded, "How can I protect someone that I _hate_?" Merlin truly hated Arthur right then, he said he would be there for Merlin, but he wasn't, not really.

"One cannot truly hate that which makes it whole" The dragon replied, "You shall soon learn that."

"Great just great!" Merlin exclaimed, "Just what I needed another riddle!"

"That your and Arthur's path lies together is the truth!" The dragon declared.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Merlin demanded.

"You know Merlin" The dragon replied, "This is not the end, but the beginning."

"Just give me a strait answer!" Merlin exclaimed as the dragon took off, but the dragon didn't even look back. Growling in frustration Merlin stormed back into his room, not caring if anyone saw him outside his chambers. Merlin angrily slammed his door shut and let a burst of magic escape. Several vases burst from the release of his magic and the window was blow out.

"If I didn't believe you knew before" A voice was said, "there is no doubt now." Merlin whirled around to and found Gaius standing in the doorway.

"What…?" Merlin asked scrambling to find some excuse for what just happened.

"I've known all along you've had magic Merlin" Gaius said, looking truly guilty. _He's known… All along…_

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**DUN DUN DUN! This chapter was SO hard! This episode has so much stuff about how Merlin is just a servant and that Arthur doesn't trust him at all which is really hard to work with, with all of the changes I've made… I hope I managed to pull this off though, as always please let me know what you thought of it!**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**

**So I kind of sort of have a beta… sort of… Hatstand is going through all of my previous chapters and editing them, and might do future chapters… we'll figure that out later lol, I just thought I'd mention that in case people wanted to re-read the edited version later. Any who enjoy!**

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><p>Merlin stared at Gaius for several tense minutes, his mind couldn't process what Gaius was saying. Gaius had known about Merlin's magic all along, he knew Merlin wasn't hallucinating and yet he told Uther and Arthur he was just sick, he'd <em>lied<em> to Merlin.

"You knew" Merlin breathed, his voice eerily calm, "and yet you _lied_ to me… made me look crazy or something in front of my family?"

"I did it to protect you…" Gaius explained that's when Merlin snapped.

"_Protect me_?" Merlin shouted, "I had a _right_ to know Gaius! Magic is who I am and you kept it from me? How could you?"

"I'm so sorry Merlin" Gaius whispered.

"Sorry won't fix this!" Merlin snarled, "Sorry won't give me back all of those years you took from me!"

"I know that…" Gaius began but Merlin wasn't listening, his mind was reeling. Then he realized that the potions he'd been given almost his entire life really where drowning out his magic causing him to get so sick.

"Because of your stupid potions I lived my entire life trapped inside this castle! That's why you gave them to me, to hide my magic right?" Merlin demanded.

"Yes… I didn't realize though how badly it would affect you though" Gaius admitted.

"Do you know what I had to go through because of you?" Merlin demanded, "all of the teasing the mocking. Spending almost my entire life stuck inside here watching everyone else play outside or do so many things I was _never_ allowed to do."

"If I could change it I would" Gaius assured.

"Don't kid yourself" Merlin whispered, "you wouldn't." and Gaius didn't even try and deny it.

"Please just listen" Gaius begged. When Merlin didn't say anything Gaius took it as a sign to continue, "I doubt you remember this but on the day your father was killed, a sorceress had tried to kidnap you to use your powers for evil purposes, I wanted to keep you safe and I felt that hiding your magic was the best thing at the time." Merlin was silent as he processed this new information. Uther didn't like to talk about the day Balinor died, and Merlin didn't particularly like asking about it.

"I swear Merlin" Gaius began, "I was going to tell you when the time was right."

"When was _that_ going to be?" Merlin demanded.

"I would not have kept it from you forever" Gaius replied. Merlin wanted to just stay angry at Gaius for what he did, but it was hard to, Gaius was trying to help him, even if it was definitely not the best way of doing that. But Gaius really did care about Merlin. Merlin sighed in defeat and whispered,

"Please… No more secrets." Merlin's tone was pleading; he needed to know that _someone_ would be honest with him. After a moments hesitation Gaius assured,

"No more lies." Merlin smiled in relief and asked,

"Does Uther know I have magic?" Gaius hesitated before replying,

"I don't think so…"

"Is there a chance he may know?" Merlin asked nervously.

"There isn't a good way really of finding out without risking him actually finding out" Gaius replied.

"Do you think he'd kill me?" Merlin asked.

"No but… I also believe now just isn't the right time for him to know" Gaius replied.

"Why didn't you at least tell them about the snake bite?" Merlin asked, deflating slightly.

"Merlin, even though you are the Kings ward, I don't believe Uther would have accepted that as hard evidence, and its hard evidence you'd need to prove Valiant is using magic" Gaius explained.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Merlin demanded.

"Not we Merlin" Gaius replied, "you have to stay here; Uther has given strict orders to the guards outside your room that under no circumstances are you to leave this room."

"But…" Merlin protested but Gaius cut him off,

"And he doesn't want you at the tournament tomorrow."

"This is so unfair!" Merlin shouted throwing his hands up.

"If you play it safe and do as your told maybe you can come and see the final round of the tournament" Gaius continued.

"But I want to help!" Merlin pleaded, "Arthur is like family to me, and I can't stand by and watch him get killed."

"Merlin, I'll look more into this and then we'll go from there, but for now you need to just stay here."

"Fine" Merlin huffed throwing himself on his bed. Gaius watched Merlin sadly for a minute before slowly leaving the room. No one, not even Arthur came to visit Merlin until Evan came up with his dinner, and even he refused to look at Merlin. Merlin was sure that Evan thought he was crazy, so he was relatively surprised when Evan blurted out,

"I'm sorry!"

"What?" Merlin asked looking up at Evan.

"I caused all of this… I should have never mentioned hearing the hissing!" Evan exclaimed. Merlin was actually happy to hear that, it meant Evan had been ignoring Merlin because he thought Merlin was mad at him, and not because he thought Merlin was crazy.

"It's not your fault" Merlin assured, "I saw the snakes with my own eyes, you don't have any reason to blame yourself. I just… why didn't they believe me?"

"I believe you" Evan assured. Grinning Merlin said,

"Thank you but… if the king refuses to believe me… there isn't a chance he'd listen to a servant… no offense."

"Unfortunately" Evan agreed, "maybe… he just doesn't want to believe that a knight would do something like this."

"So he'd rather believe that I was lying?" Merlin asked.

"Or maybe he wants to think you were just seeing things" Evan corrected, "So you're not a liar and the knight isn't a cheater."

"That's a bit of a stretch don't you think?" Merlin asked.

"People will believe anything if they really want to" Evan shrugged, and Merlin couldn't deny the truth in that statement.

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><p>The next day Merlin was forced to sit in his chambers listening to the crowds cheering, but unable to see what they where cheering about. Merlin's heart froze in his chest when he heard a loud collective gasp coming from the crowd, but calmed when the cheering reached a deafening level. They wouldn't cheer if Arthur had been hurt right? Merlin felt a twinge of guilt when Evan walked in balancing Merlin's breakfast.<p>

"I'm sorry you had to miss the tournament" Merlin whispered. Evan shrugged assuring,

"I only go because I have to, I've never gotten into these tournaments, and to me it's just a bunch of knights bashing each other around." Merlin couldn't help but laugh at Evan's comment; he'd felt the same at one point too. As night descended over Camelot, Merlin was beginning to feel forgotten, and even a little rejected. Merlin practically charged Gaius down when he finally did come to see him.

"What happened?" Merlin demanded.

"Uther says that if you are well you are welcome to come to the tournament tomorrow" Gaius replied, but Merlin was sure he was hiding something.

"Gaius? What's going on?" Merlin asked. Gaius paused for a moment before saying in a rush.

"Arthur will be fighting Valiant in the tournament tomorrow." Merlin stood there frozen in horror, his mind reeling.

"He's going to kill Arthur" Merlin whispered.

"That's what I fear." Gaius agreed.

"What do we do?" Merlin demanded, "Uther doesn't believe me Arthur won't talk to me…"

"I may have something that can help!" Gaius exclaimed, "Come with me quickly!" Merlin followed Gaius as he quickly led Merlin to his chambers, dully noting that no one was standing guard anymore. Gaius grabbed a chair and stood on it to reach one of the high up books and pulled out a thick leather book with several clasps holding it closed.

"Here, take it" Gaius said handing it to Merlin.

"What is it?" Merlin asked opening the book.

"It's a book of magic" Gaius replied.

"You're giving this to me?" Merlin asked grinning.

"It seemed appropriate, maybe there will be something useful in there" Gaius replied. As Merlin flicked through the book he stopped on a particular page that caught his eye. The page talked about a spell used to breathe life into inanimate objects. Grinning Merlin turned and hurried out of the room.

"What are you doing?" Gaius called.

"I'm going to make them see the snakes for themselves!" Merlin called over his shoulder.

"That's my boy" Gaius grinned. Back in his room, Merlin ran to one of his shelves and lifted off of it the small statue of a dragon his father had given him. Merlin set the dragon on the bed and quickly turned back to the page and clumsily read off the spell. Without even looking at it, Merlin knew the spell had failed. Merlin tried again and again, each time failing, but Merlin would stay up all night if he had too, because that's what you did for family.

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**That was _hard_ yikes ok… this has been an evil episode but the episode after the next one is my _favorite_ so I'm looking foreword to writing that one. Will Gaius's lying to Merlin about Uther come back and bite him in the butt? Will Merlin be able to figure out the spell in time? Check back tomorrow for the last part in 'Valiant' yes even though it's Halloween I'll probably be updating, not like I have anything better to do lol. **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N**

**So I officially have a beta: Hatstand! YAY! So here is the final chapter of Valiant! **

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><p>Merlin sat on his bed, eyes shut, repeating the spell over and over again in hopes of getting a different result. He hadn't slept at all the night before and he still hadn't figured out the spell. He was rapidly running out of time. He could hear the sounds of people heading towards the tournament but he still hadn't made any progress.<p>

Something was gently nudging his hand but he ignored it and continued to recite the spell over and over again. His concentration was broken as a tiny roar echoed around the room. Merlin opened his eyes to find a tiny dragon staring back at him and giving the occasional playful chirp. He could hardly believe it. The spell had actually worked! Merlin jumped off his bed ignoring the tiny dragon and flung the door open only to find a very startled Gaius standing there with his fist poised to knock.

"I figured out the spell!" Merlin exclaimed running around Gaius.

"Hurry!" Gaius called after him as he continued running.

Normally Merlin would sit next to Morgana, but he didn't want to risk someone seeing him or hearing him say the spell. Instead he ran through the knight's tents where he could stand hidden at the edge of the arena while waiting for the perfect opportunity to intervene. Arthur and Valiant were already mid-battle when he arrived, but Arthur seemed to be holding his own for now. The crowd watched the two breathlessly, Morgana was even beginning to look worried, but for whom Merlin couldn't tell.

The two continued to swing at one another, the crowd cheering whenever Arthur got a good hit and gasping when he took a blow. Arthur swung his blade at Valiant's head, knocking his helmet off. The crowd waited breathlessly to see what they would do. Arthur took off his helmet as well and the crowd cheered encouragingly. The battle continued, but Uther did not look pleased. Morgana even winced in concern when Valiant slammed his shield into Arthur's face, knocking him to the ground. Valiant stepped on Arthur's shield to keep him from using it. In retaliation, Arthur swung at Valiant who easily blocked the blow with his shield. Valiant stabbed at Arthur who abandoned his shield and easily rolled out of the way. Valiant's sword embedded itself deeply into the ground right where Arthur's heart had been moments ago. Morgana and Gwen gasped in horror; genuinely worry clear on their faces.

Arthur's sword was soon knocked out of his hand and Valiant had him pinned against the wall. Arthur easily knocked him away, leaving Valiant gasping for breath. Merlin knew it was now or never.

He quickly recited the spell from memory, smirking when the audience stood staring in shock at the snakes that sprouted from of Valiant's shield. Arthur staggered back in shock.

"What are you doing? I didn't summon you!" Valiant exclaimed.

"He is using magic" Uther gasped.

Valiant laughed as the snakes completely dropped from the shield. "Kill him!" he shouted.

Arthur backed up against the wall, completely defenseless. Morgana looked around frantically before ripping the nearest knight's sword out of its sheath.

"Arthur!" Morgana shouted tossing him the sword. Arthur quickly beheaded the snakes and turned to face Valiant again. Valiant swung at Arthur who blocked the blow and grabbed him, stabbing him as he did so. The crowd leaped up, cheering as Valiant collapsed to the ground dead. Arthur stood there for a moment, proudly taking in the cheering crowd before walking over towards Merlin. He clapped Merlin on the shoulder whispering as he walked by.

"Thank you, Merlin."

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><p>Later, at the feast, Merlin stood beside Morgana watching proudly as Uther addressed the gathering.<p>

"My honored guest's! May I present your champion, Prince Arthur!" Arthur emerged grinning at the cheering crowd, looking like a true king.

Arthur walked over to Morgana offering his arm.

"My lady."

"My champion" Morgana replied, genuinely smiling. She took his arm and he led her on to the feast. Arthur and Morgana seemed to be getting along well, until they started glaring at each other until Morgana stalked off, Gwen trailing behind faithfully. Arthur quickly made his way over to Merlin.

"I'm sorry for not listening to you…" said Arthur.

"Can we talk later?" Merlin asked. "There's a lot I need to tell you that I don't want people hearing…"

"I'll meet you in your chambers later," Arthur said more quietly. Merlin grinned and nodded his head in silent agreement. He felt someone place a hand on his shoulder and whipped around to find a very guilty looking Uther.

"Merlin, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not listening to you," he said apologetically.

"It's ok…" Merlin assured but Uther cut him off.

"No it's not, I should never have taken the word of a knight over the word of someone who's… who's been like a son to me. I promise from now on I will listen to you and I will try not to ignore what you say."

Merlin smiled. "Thank you," he replied. And he meant it.

* * *

><p>Evan had a slight bounce to his step as he prepared his master's chambers.<p>

"What are you so happy about?" Merlin asked grinning.

"I saw you talking to Uther," Evan replied.

"Yeah, he wanted to apologize," Merlin shrugged.

"He _never_ apologizes though!" Evan exclaimed. "This _proves_ that he really cares about you!"

Evan was right; Uther never apologized for anything. Did that mean he would accept Merlin's magic? Someone loudly knocked on the door and Evan opened it, bowing deeply as Arthur entered the room.

"That will be all Evan" Merlin informed him. Evan bowed once again,

"Good night Sire," he said before silently leaving the room.

As soon as the door shut behind him Merlin said,

"Gaius knows about my magic."

"What?" Arthur explained, looking worried, "how did this happen?"

"He's known for years actually," Merlin corrected. "I kind of lost control right when he walked in, but he says that he won't tell Uther."

"He doesn't know?" Arthur asked, looking mildly surprised.

"According to Gaius, no," Merlin replied.

"Can you really trust him though? He did give you that potion that suppressed your powers in the first place."

"I know but he was doing it to protect me," Merlin explained, He went on to tell him what Gaius told him about the day his father was killed.

"I guess we have no choice." Arthur refused to look at Merlin, guilt evident on his face.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked tentatively, taking a step closer.

"I feel horrible about what I did," Arthur whispered. "You needed me and I blew you off"

"It doesn't matter," Merlin assured.

"It does!" Arthur insisted. "You've always been like family to me. Family doesn't do that to each other!"

"Arthur," Merlin assured placing a hand on his shoulder, "I forgive you." Arthur grinned at Merlin, then jumped back startled.

"What is that?" Merlin whirled around. The miniature dragon he had created earlier peered up from its place on his desk. He silently thanked the dragon for not drawing attention to itself when Evan was in the room.

"That's the statue I practiced the spell on." Merlin muttered the counter spell and the dragon instantly turned back to stone, reverting back to its original pose as well.

"It was you who made the snakes come out," Arthur stated, not fully surprised.

"Yeah," said Merlin softly, carefully scooping up the statue and returning it to its original home. "It was the last gift my father ever gave me."

Arthur felt a twinge of guilt when he realized how alone Merlin was. He pulled him into a tight hug, promising himself that his friend wouldn't have to feel alone again; he would be there for Merlin from now on, no matter the cost.

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><p><strong>End<strong>**Notes**

**I love bromance so will Arthur be able to keep his promise? How long until Uther finds out? Review and tell me what you thought! Next up, The Mark of Nimueh!**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N**

**So to help with some confusion, Gaius LIED when he said Uther didn't know Merlin has magic, but Uther does think it's still bound, a lot of people where confused so I just wanted to clear that up. So disclaimer, I don't own Merlin or its characters, BBC does, I just own this story idea (sort of) and of course my OC Evan. Once again thank Hatstand for betaing and enjoy!**

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><p>Merlin strode through the castle in a strangely good mood. Ever since Gaius found out about his magic, he hadn't been forced to drink the foul potion everyday. Gaius still wanted him to come by everyday to keep suspicions down, but little actual medication was involved.<p>

As he made his way to the physician's chambers he ran into Gwen, who was partly concealed behind a bouquet of flowers.

"Someone gave you flowers?" Merlin inquired, grinning.

"No, I picked them myself actually," she replied, smiling. "Would you like one?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

"How about a purple one?" she asked picking one and handing it to Merlin who took it and, still grinning, tucked in his shirt.

"So where are you off to?" Gwen asked, still suppressing her giggles.

"To see Gaius, to get my medicine," he replied.

"He seemed pretty busy when I passed him in town earlier," she informed him.

"Doing what?" asked Merlin.

"I don't know. He had something that looked pretty heavy in a cart," she explained.

"Thanks, Gwen" he said, continuing towards Gaius's chambers.

"See you later then," Gwen called.

When Merlin reached his destination he pushed the door open loudly, startling the old physician. Gaius peered up from his workbench where he had been examining somebody. Merlin gasped when he saw the person's face: it was pure white; the veins a stark contrast to the pallid skin and white eyes.

"Gaius?" Merlin asked taking a step back. The physician hurriedly threw a blanket over the body.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"You said I needed to come see you-" Merlin explained but Gaius interrupted him before he could finish.

"Just go, leave me!" Merlin started to back out of the room, nearly knocking over Arthur as he strode through the door.

"Gaius, my father needs to see you immediately," Arthur informed Gaius.

"What's going on?" Merlin asked.

"Just come quickly," was all Arthur would say.

Arthur led them to the council chambers, where Uther stood next to a man holding tightly onto a woman Merlin assumed to be his wife. There was another body on the floor that looked frighteningly similar to the one in Gaius's chambers.

"What do you make of this?" Uther asked.

"I'm not sure," Gaius admitted. "This is the second case I've seen today."

"Why haven't you informed me?" Uther demanded.

"I was hoping to find the cause," Gaius replied steadily.

"What are you hiding from me?" Uther demanded.

"I've never seen anything like this before," admitted Gaius.

"Do you have any idea what could have caused this?" asked Uther.

"Well… the most likely explanation is sorcery," Gaius replied.

Merlin was sure he saw Uther's eyes flicker over to his for a moment, but he couldn't be sure. The King proceeded to give Arthur a long list or orders to: protect the city, searching everyone's homes, posting extra guards everywhere including the town; the list went on and on.

He couldn't help but wonder if all the extra precaution was necessary.

"Is this really going to help?" Arthur asked, voicing Merlin's thoughts.

"Trust me. If Gaius is right, this sorcerer will wipe us out if we do not find them first."

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><p>Over the next several days, Arthur and his knights searched all of Camelot in a vain hope of catching the perpetrator. The death rate continued to increase at a frightening rate. People were dying left, right, and center. When the victims grew to excess, Uther allowed Merlin to help Gaius collect bodies to study. As he strode through the town with Gaius he noticed someone weakly reach out to him.<p>

"Gaius," he called, "this one's still alive."

Gaius bent over him for a minute before saying, "There's nothing we can do for him."

"But I can heal him," Merlin argued.

"And risk exposing yourself?" Gaius yelled. "The best thing to do is hope science can find the right answer before it's too late."

"What's the point of having a gift if I can't use it?" Merlin demanded.

"There will come a time when it is safe to reveal your magic, until then, we rely on science!"

"Can you believe him?" Merlin demanded of Arthur. After Gaius's blatant rejection of the idea of using magic to cure the sickness the two had retreated to Merlin's chambers.

"I could have saved that man; I can save _all_ of those sick people but he won't let me!" he exclaimed

"He's right, Merlin," Arthur informed him.

"What?" he demanded.

"He's right. You need to stay hidden" Arthur explained.

"So I'm supposed to just sit here and watch innocent people die?" Merlin inquired.

"Look, we have no choice-" Arthur began.

"And you're letting Uther cut off everyone who lives in the lower town?" Merlin added.

"That's where all the victims are," Arthur rationalized.

"So as long as they aren't noble it's ok to just let them die?" snapped Merlin.

"So you think I like watching all these people die?" Arthur yelled.

"Then let me do something about it!" Merlin shouted back.

"Then people will think you're the one responsible!" retorted Arthur.

"You don't know that," Merlin whispered.

"I'm not going to risk it, Merlin," Arthur decided. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

"If the people don't then this disease will" Merlin muttered darkly, causing Arthur to stiffen. He didn't give Arthur a chance to reply as he stormed through the castle. He went to Gaius's chamber, knowing he'd be needed there. When he arrived Gaius was inspecting another victim.

"Merlin what's different about this victim?" Gaius asked.

"She's a woman," stated Merlin.

The physician raised an eyebrow as if to say 'really.'

"Um, she's a courtier?" Merlin guessed.

"And?" Gaius prompted.

"She doesn't spend a lot of time in the lower town," Merlin said, the truth dawning upon him.

"It suggests the disease isn't spread through contact," Gaius confirmed.

"And they probably don't eat the same food," Merlin reasoned, "so it must be spread through water!"

"Merlin you're a prodigy," Gaius declared as he walked over to a bucket and handed it to him.

Merlin hurried to the lower town to fill up the bucket. As he was filling it, he saw Gwen running by, tears streaming down her face.

"Gwen?" he called, worry evident on his face. "Gwen!" Merlin grabbed the bucket and ran after the maidservant as she ran towards Gaius's chambers.

Merlin burst in as Gwen was telling Gaius, "… It's my father, he's gotten the sickness please help him!"

"Gwen I'm sorry but I haven't found a cure yet," Gaius explained sadly.

"Please I'm begging you!" she sobbed. "He's all that I have left."

"I'm sorry Gwen but there's nothing I can do" he whispered.

Gwen let out a choked sob before turning and running from the room.

"There has to be something we can do!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Hopefully this will help us find the answer," replied Gaius, taking the bucket from him.

"But it will still be will be too late for her father!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I'm afraid your right, Merlin," Gaius agreed, "but it's all we can do."

Infuriated, Merlin stormed out of the room, determined to do something, anything he could to help.

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Merlin will you ever learn? So anyways, updates may be a little slower because me and my beta seem to be in different time zones but they'll still be pretty regular.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N**

** Once again we have my amazing beta Hatstand to thank for fixing my silly mistakes, Merlin and all characters belong to BBC. I'm just changing it up a bit. Enjoy!**

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><p>Merlin snuck through the castle, a small bundle clenched in his hand tightly. With all the extra security it took much longer than usual for him to reach Gwen's house. He couldn't afford to be seen, so he was forced to duck between alleyways when he saw guards approaching. He used a quick spell to open the door to his friend's home and slipped inside.<p>

He found Gwen sleeping in a chair next to her father, Tom, who looked like death. His face was tinted with a ghost-like pallor, and his breathing was ragged.

Merlin slowly approached the bed, pulling a small bundle from his pocket as he did so. He slipped the bundle under Tom's pillow and muttered the spell so they wouldn't wake up.

"Þu fornimst adl fram guman" Merlin's eyes flashed gold and a green mist surrounded Gwen's father before lifting away, leaving him healthy looking again. Tom blinked his eyes in confusion and tentatively reached out to his daughter.

"Gwen?"

Gwen stirred and sat up, a huge grin erupting on her face.

"Father?" she gasped. "What's happened? I don't believe it!"

Sobbing, Gwen flung herself at her father, hugging him tightly. Grinning, Merlin slipped back to the castle, a slight hop in his step.

* * *

><p>"Don't touch that!" Gaius snapped at Arthur had been reaching towards a vial containing water and a now dead flower. "I've only had that in there for a few hours."<p>

"Where did the water come from?" Uther asked.

"The pump where the people get their daily supply," Gaius replied.

"Then we have to stop the people from using it," Arthur reasoned.

"The city cannot survive without water," Gaius informed him.

"We must find the sorcerer responsible!" exclaimed Uther.

"I don't believe they're inside Camelot," said Arthur.

"Then go outside the city!" Uther demanded.

"We have but we can't search every village in the kingdom-" Arthur began.

"And I can't watch my people die" Uther growled.

Arthur nodded his head and left.

Merlin cautiously opened the door to Morgana's chambers to find Gwen tidying up, humming as she worked.

"How's your father?" he asked, grinning. "Is he feeling better?"

"Yes it's incredible!" Gwen exclaimed. "It's a miracle."

"His skin's clear and back to normal?" asked Merlin.

"Yes," she replied happily.

"Great!" he exclaimed, turning to leave.

"You don't seem that surprised," she commented.

"No, I am. It's a miracle," Merlin assured, turning to face a suspicious looking Gwen.

"How did you know he was well?" she asked.

He stared at her for a minute, frantically trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

"I saw you smiling," he replied lamely, "and I knew it had something to do with your father."

"That's strange because I haven't told anyone," she informed him, "and you just knew… How could you know?"

"Right," Merlin sighed, "You've finally found out… I can tell you." He took a deep breath before declaring, "I'm psychic."

Gwen burst out in a fit of giggles.

"No you're not."

"Yes I am!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Alright then what am I thinking?" Gwen challenged playfully.

"That I'm not psychic," he replied, making her laugh again.

"You're strange," Gwen declared, and at Merlin's indignant look added. "I don't mean that in a nasty way! You're just funny…"

He grinned and said, "Well I'm happy for you."

"Thank you."

"For what?" Merlin asked.

"For asking… for noticing," she replied.

"Well I don't like seeing my friends upset," he said modestly. "But I've got to go…"

Merlin waved goodbye to Gwen who happily waved back.

* * *

><p>Later as he strode through the hall, he heard someone screaming. Gwen. He followed the sound to find a pair of guards dragging her away.<p>

"Please I'm innocent!" she was saying. "Merlin! Please help me!"

Merlin went to follow her, but Gaius grabbed his arm and dragged him back to his chambers.

"What were you thinking," Gaius demanded once he slammed the door. "I know you were trying to help a friend but how could you be so stupid?"

"I couldn't let her father die knowing I could cure him!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Didn't you think that it would look suspicious for only her father to get better?" Gaius demanded.

"Then I'll cure everyone!" Merlin declared.

"It's too late for that," Gaius snapped; "now everyone thinks she's a sorceress!"

"Then I have to prove she's innocent!" Merlin exclaimed, walking towards the door.

"How will you do that?" Gaius demanded. Merlin glared at the physician, refusing to answer and ran towards the throne room. He ran into the throne room just as the guards where throwing Gwen to the floor.

"Well done," Uther praised a guilty looking Arthur.

"Please I didn't do anything!" Gwen exclaimed. "He got better naturally I swear! Why will no one believe me?"

"I believe you, Gwen," Morgana assured strolling into the throne room to stand next to Gwen. "Perhaps this is a disease that isn't always fatal? Have you thought of that? Perhaps he did recover naturally."

"Then what of the poultice that was found?" Uther asked.

Morgana looked down at Gwen, who asked hysterically, "What poultice? I don't know anything about a poultice!"

"It was found in your house!" Uther barked. "Now undo this evil you have brought upon Camelot." Uther glared at Gwen with more hate then Merlin had ever seen.

"I'm not a witch! I can't undo this…" Gwen sobbed.

"Then I have no choice but to sentence you to death," the King snapped, glaring at her. She shook her head with a horrified look on her face. "I can only hope that when you die this curse dies with you." No remorse showed on Uther's face as Gwen was dragged out of the throne room sobbing,

"No! Please I'm innocent!"

Once everyone left Morgana snapped, "She's innocent Uther! She's no enchantress!"

"Have you ever seen an enchantress?" Uther asked as Merlin approached them. "They bare no sign, no mark of the evil they carry." Uther once again looked over at Merlin, almost worriedly.

"I've seen the way she works! Her fingers are worn, her nails are chipped, she kneels on a cold floor morning after morning; why would she do that if she could do it all with a snap of her finger. Just like an idle king." Morgana's tone was cold.

"You have no right!" Uther growled.

"Please, Uther," Merlin interrupted. "I know her. She would never do this!"

"It is my job to take care of this kingdom!" Uther yelled. "I take no joy in this."

"But you're sentencing the wrong person!" Merlin exclaimed.

"They're right, father," Arthur said, speaking for the first time.

"You saw the poultice for yourself" Uther growled. "She's used an enchantment.

"To save her father!" Arthur exclaimed. "You claim to only hate evil magic. What's evil about a girl saving her dying father? How does that make her guilty of making a plague? One's the act of love and the other of evil. I don't see evil in this girl's heart."

"I have seen the evil dark magic can do. I have suffered at its hand, and you should understand, Merlin." Uther looked at his ward with a dark expression on his face. "I cannot take that risk, if there is the slightest chance that she is responsible I must act."

"I know I'm not king yet," Arthur argued. "I don't know what kind of king I'll be, but I know what kind of kingdom I want to rule, one that is just and fair, and one where the punishment fits the crime." The King's head snapped around to meet his eyes.

"I fear you are right, Arthur; she's played with fire so she must die by fire."

Uther strode from the throne room followed by an angry Morgana and an unenthusiastic Arthur. Merlin was left along thinking, _what have I done?_

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Yikes! I didn't realize how many conversations I'd have to change…. Anyways I was wondering about something. I am definitely planning on doing this through season 4, only if people would read it of course, and if I do I was wondering if you guys would prefer it if I break it up into different storied by season or just leave it as one super long fic. Let me know! Oh and the spell Merlin used "Þu fornimst adl fram guman" means to overcome sickness from man, according to my beta that's the exact spell Merlin used in the episode.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N**

** This was a nightmare and three quarters… So since this was getting so long and I couldn't easily split it up and keep it a decent length, I was forced to omit a few conversations…. But I still think it's good so enjoy!**

"I thought I was doing good," Merlin whispered; "that curing Gwen's father would help her…" Gaius glared at him while Arthur placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Merlin, you were just trying to help," Arthur assured him.

"I should have been better about helping you through this, Merlin. For that I'm sorry," said Gaius quietly. "You need to be more careful; magic is a huge responsibility."

"I must see her," Merlin declared, standing up and strolling out of Gaius's chambers. No one tried to stop him as he made his way down to the dungeons. As he walked down the stairs he passed a sobbing Morgana. He wanted to say something to comfort her, but nothing came. It seemed like she didn't even notice him as she continued on. When he reached Gwen's cell, she was staring off at the wall blankly.

"Gwen," Merlin called out, catching her attention. Smiling, she stood up and started to walk over to him, only to be halted by the shackles on her wrists.

"Thank you," said Gwen, her voice shaking.

"For what?" he asked.

"For coming to see me," she replied.

"I'm sorry," Merlin whispered, pain and guilt evident in his voice.

"It's not your fault," she assured.

He wanted to tell her that it _was _his fault, that she should hate him for what he did.

"I-" Merlin began, but Gwen stopped him.

"It's alright. Don't worry about me; there's no point crying about it." Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes as she spoke. "Don't cry about me. I'm not saying you where though-"

"Gwen, I can't let this happen," Merlin whispered.

"Please. One thing; you don't have to do it..."

"What?" he asked.

Gwen hesitated for a minute before saying; "Remember me."

"You're not going to die," he said firmly. "I am _not_ going to let this happen." Determined, Merlin ran to the council chambers. Uther was saying something about cleansing the water supply when he burst in, yelling.

"It was me! I used magic to save Gwen's father, _I_ am the sorcerer!" Gaius stood up, stunned.

"Merlin are you mad?"

"I cannot let her die for me!" Merlin exclaimed, turning to face Uther: the man who raised him like a son; the man who he saw as a father. Uther gaped at him. Merlin expected to see hate and rage, but all he saw was shock and horror.

"I place myself at your mercy," Merlin added, his eyes locked with the King's.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about," Gaius assured a still shell shocked Uther.

"I do," Merlin declared firmly. Uther stood there as a pair of guards approached Merlin, firmly grabbing his arms.

"_Mer_lin, cannot be a sorcerer," Arthur declared making the guards freeze. "I mean it's _Mer_lin."

"But he confessed…" Uther mumbled, still dazed.

"It's obvious that he's sick," Arthur declared.

"Sick?" Uther asked worriedly.

"He's obviously in love with Guinevere," Arthur replied.

"I'm not in love with Gwen!" Merlin exclaimed.

"It's ok Merlin," Arthur assured him, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "I saw you with that flower Gwen gave you." Merlin blushed as the council members grinned knowingly at him.

"I'm not in love!" Merlin exclaimed turning red, but there was no convincing Uther now.

"Merlin is _not_ a sorcerer," Arthur declared looking pointedly at him.

"Perhaps she's enchanted you," Uther suggested, making Arthur and Merlin simultaneously look at him; a look of horror etched on their faces, until Uther burst out laughing. "Merlin I was young once, I understand. It seems like she's the only thing that matters, but she's still a servant; one who's done horrible things. No matter how much you may want to change that, you never will. Now, please leave us, and don't bother me with this nonsense again."

Embarrassed, Merlin hurried out of the council chambers with Gaius on his heels.

"Why'd he do that?" Merlin exclaimed, bursting into his chambers.

"He was right in doing that, Merlin," Gaius replied sternly. "That was stupid of you, exposing yourself like that; luckily Arthur was able to come up with something so quickly."

"Gwen's going to die for what I did!" Merlin exclaimed.

"You don't prove her innocence by jumping into the flame!" Gaius scolded. "You do it by finding the source!" He grabbed a container to hold water and walked out of the room, Merlin hot on his tail. They hurried through the castle and down to the caves where the main water source was stored. They quickly made their way through the cave and to the reservoir. Gaius handed Merlin the flask who dunked it into the water and pulled it out when it was full.

"Hopefully this will tell us what's causing the plague," Gaius was saying.

Suddenly, something emerged from the water, snarling. Merlin and Gaius stumbled away from the water as the thing dived back into the water.

"It's an Afanc," Gaius declared once they were safely back in his chambers.

"How do we defeat it?" Merlin asked. Gaius looked up the bookshelf sadly.

"We won't be able to figure it out in time!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Do you have a better idea?" Gaius demanded. Grinning Merlin ran out of Gaius's chambers and deep under the castle.

"Hello?" Merlin shouted once he'd reached the cavern.

"Hello young warlock," The Great Dragon greeted, dropping down in front of him.

"I need to know how to defeat and Afanc" Merlin informed him.

"It would seem so," The dragon agreed.

"Will you tell me how?" Merlin asked.

"You must use the elements at your hand," The dragon replied cryptically.

"What does that mean?" Merlin demanded.

"You are but one side of a coin, Arthur is the other," the dragon continued as he started to take off.

"What does that mean?" Merlin repeated, but the dragon was gone.

"What are you doing?" Gaius asked when he found Merlin frantically shuffling through his books.

"I need to find a book," said Merlin; "one on the elements."

"The elements are the very basis of the scientific process," Gaius informed him.

"How would that help me defeat the Afanc?" Merlin asked.

"Well the Afanc is made from earth and water: two of the four base elements," Gaius explained.

"What about the other two?" Merlin asked.

"Perhaps they would destroy it… wind and fire. Wind and fire are what you need. How did you find this out?" But Merlin ignored the hastily thrown question as he ran out the door to Arthur's chambers.

"Arthur, it's an Afanc that's causing the plague!"

"What?" Arthur asked.

"In the water supply, there's an Afanc that's causing all these people to get sick! If we defeat it we'll stop the plague and save Gwen!"

"And then you and Gwen can live happily ever after," Arthur teased.

"Shut up," Merlin snapped back, blushing.

"What will father think? Will he allow these two forbidden lovers…" 

"Arthur can we discuss this later?" Merlin asked. "Perhaps once Gwen's safe from the threat of execution?"

"Fine," Arthur smirked as they ran out towards the water supply. They hurried through the courtyard, Merlin eyeing the pyre wearily.

"We've got to hurry," Arthur muttered as they ran. Arthur grabbed a torch and lit it once they entered the caves and moved deep into the caves.

"So how exactly are we supposed to beat this thing?" Arthur asked.

"I need to use fire to beat it," Merlin replied.

"Then why do you need me exactly?" Arthur asked. Merlin was saved from answering when they heard the Afanc shriek.

"Where is it?" Arthur asked peering down the fork ahead.

"I don't know" Merlin muttered. Suddenly it jumped out of the shadows screeching. Arthur swung his torch at it and it reeled back and vanished.

"Where did it go?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin saw something out of the corner of his eye and shouted; "Over there!"

Arthur whirled around and swung his torch, the Afanc reeling back.

"Arthur, use the torch!"

Arthur thrust the torch towards the creature and Merlin muttered the spell under his breath;

"_Lyfte ic şe in balwen ac forhienan_",

A huge gust of wind blew through the cave setting he Afanc on fire. It screeched as it burst into flame.

Morgana and Merlin watched happily as Gwen was reunited with her father.

"Thank you for everything," said Tom, hugging Gwen close.

"Don't thank me," Morgana said. "Thank Merlin; he's the real hero."

"I didn't do anything!" Merlin said, trying to shift the attention away from himself.

"Well thank you," Tom said again. "Come on, Gwen." The two left the dungeons and Merlin turned to follow when Morgana stopped him.

"Merlin, your secret's safe with me," she said with a smile.

"What secret?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"I saw what you did Merlin," Morgana replied. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I completely get why you wouldn't want anyone to know…especially Uther. Is it alright if I talk to you about it?"

Merlin grinned. "Yeah… of course! You have no idea how hard it's been to keep it hidden!"

"Well, I think Gwen's a very lucky girl," Morgana declared.

"Gwen?" Merlin asked, confused. Morgana put a finger to her lips smirking.

**End Notes**

** *Dies* wow that took forever! This is officially the longest (and hardest) chapter ever! So what will Uther do about merlin's little 'crush?' Wow ok, so next will be my personal favorite episode, The Poisoned Chalice! **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N**

** So a lot of people have been looking forward to this episode. Well I'm excited as well, this first chapter is a little slow but will pick up again in the next chapter, promise. **

* * *

><p>Despite everything that had happened Merlin did have one thing to be grateful for; Uther either forgot or simply decided to ignore his 'crush' on Gwen. After she had been released he didn't say anything to Merlin about not being able to see her again or anything of the sort. Arthur, though, sometimes hummed the wedding march whenever he caught him around her.<p>

A few days after Gwen was freed from prison, Uther announced that Bayard and the Knights of the Western Isles were coming to Camelot to form a treaty. War had been raging between the two kingdoms for years, and this treaty would finally bring peace.

Merlin stood in-between Arthur and Morgana waiting for Bayard and his men to arrive. The throne room was silent; most of the King's Council were present along with many servants, including Evan. He had thankfully not fallen ill, but the same couldn't be said for his family. His younger sister Eve had died in the first few days of the illness, and Merlin later discovered that when he and Arthur defeated the Afanc, they had saved Evan's parents, both of whom had fallen ill.

The Guards pushed the doors open and Bayard strode in confidently. Uther stood and walked over to meet him. Merlin watched Bayard uneasily; something about him felt _wrong_, but it could just as easily be his imagination. Uther and Bayard shook hands.

"Camelot welcomes you Lord Bayard of the Western Isles," declared the King, "This treaty will end war and bring peace to both our Kingdoms." The entire hall erupted into applause while Uther continued to watch Bayard intently.

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin was heading over to Arthur's chambers when he literally ran into a servant girl. She mumbled an apology and ducked down to retrieve the fallen objects. Merlin instantly bent over to help. Their eyes met. He couldn't help but continue to stare at her as they stood up; he swore he'd seem her before, as if in a distant memory that was fighting to get his attention…<p>

"Thank you," the girl whispered.

"You're welcome," Merlin replied.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm Merlin, the King's ward," Merlin replied quickly.

"I'm Kara," she told him, smiling. "You are very lucky to have such an inviting guardian."

"He didn't even hesitate to take me in after my parents died," Merlin agreed, "but… He was already like family to me, so I guess it wasn't that difficult." The girl nodded her head in agreement and stuck out her hand for him to shake.

"Well it was nice meeting you, Merlin," she said.

"Same" Merlin agreed. She flashed him one last smile before rounding the corner and out of sight.

* * *

><p>"Why my father's making us sit through Bayard's boring speech is a mystery to me," Arthur complained. "I mean, what's the point?"<p>

"Maybe he wants some moral support?" Merlin suggested, shrugging. Arthur turned to look at him, eyebrows raised. "How about it would look bad for Uther's son and ward not to attend?" Merlin suggested. Arthur shook his head.

"Do you know what you'll be wearing?"

"No…" Merlin replied slowly.

Grinning, Arthur vanished behind his changing screen only to re-emerge with the most ridiculous outfit Merlin had ever seen. Arthur held bright red shirt with a gold dragon on it, a lurid cape-like thing of the same red and a hat with large red, green and black feathers sticking out at odd angles.

"I am not wearing that," Merlin declared.

"It'll look great on you!" Arthur assured throwing the hat at him. "See? It suits you!"

"Yeah… No," Merlin replied, throwing the hat back at Arthur. "Why don't you make your servant wear it- or better yet, _you_ wear it!" Merlin turned on his heel and stalked out of Arthur's chambers, not noticing the evil grin that slowly spread across Arthur's face.

* * *

><p>Merlin was talking to Gwen quietly. They had a few minutes until Bayard arrived and the feast officially started. It took him a moment to realize that Evan had approached him and was waiting for his attention.<p>

"Thank you sire."

"For what?" Merlin asked.

"For not making me wear _that_!" Evan exclaimed pointing to someone behind him. Merlin turned and frowned when he saw Arthur's servant wearing the ridiculous red outfit. He spotted Arthur standing next to Morgana, trying not to laugh at his servant's misfortune. Merlin glared at the Prince, who expertly ignored him. He stalked over to Arthur.

"Let me handle this," he muttered. He made a mental note to 'accidentally' throw the outfit in the fire when the feast was over.

Arthur finally noticed Merlin when he stepped in front of him, blocking his view of the rest of the room.

"Enjoying yourself?" Arthur asked laughing.

"This isn't funny, Arthur," Merlin growled. "This is cruel and unusual punishment."

"It's an outfit," Arthur argued.

"Do you think he'll _ever_ want to step out in public again?" Merlin demanded "_everyone's_ laughing at him!"

Arthur was saved from answering by the arrival of Lord Bayard. He and Merlin took their seats; Arthur to Uther's left and Merlin next to Arthur. Morgana sat on the King's right.

The entire room watched in complete silence as Bayard and Uther signed the treaty. Merlin noticed that all of Bayard's people sat on the left hand table while the people of Camelot sat on the table to the right. The King bent over to sign the treaty after Bayard and then stuck out his hand for him to shake. The crowd began to applaud when Bayard shook his hand, smiling. Uther took his place between Arthur and Morgana and then Bayard began to speak;

"People of Camelot; for a great many years we have been mortal enemies. The blood of our men stains the grounds from the gates of Camelot to the walls of Mercia. Though we remember all the men who have died, we must not let any more join them. As a symbol of our good will and of our newfound friendship, I present these ceremonial goblets to the royal family in the hope that our friendship may last." He presented them with a box containing four goblets; one for each of them.

Bayard raised his goblet, everyone in the room following suit.

"To your health Uther Arthur, Merlin, The Lady Morgana; the people of Camelot."

"And to fallen warriors, on both sides," Uther added. They all raised their goblets and drank.

Merlin heard the applause, but something wasn't quite right. He felt something burning in his throat, and the feeling was rapidly spreading throughout his entire body. Merlin started to choke, the goblet slipping from his fingers as he wrapped his hand around his neck.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"

Merlin couldn't seem to get enough air. He struggled to open his mouth to say something was wrong, but before he could darkness enveloped him.

The last thing he remembered was hearing someone shout,

"It's been poisoned! Seize him!"

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** 0-o what will Uther do? Will he let Arthur find the cure? What will Nimueh do to try and stop him? Find out next! So I know a lot of you wanted to see Arthur get poisoned but to be honest I just don't know how I would do that, and I have several ideas were Merlin is poisoned. Hope this didn't disappoint!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N**

**So Uther acts a little crazy in this chapter… Thanks again to all of my amazing reviewers! And again say thanks to Hatstand for editing!**

* * *

><p>Arthur could hardly believe how quickly things had turned for the worst. One minute he was watching as Camelot and Mercia toasted the friendship of their kingdoms, and then the next minute he watched in horror as Camelot's guards surrounded a stunned Bayard while Merlin lay on the floor, unmoving.<p>

Arthur collapsed onto the floor next to him, and watched Gaius place a hand on Merlin's forehead asking,

"Merlin can you hear me?"

When Merlin didn't respond, Gaius ordered, "We have to get him to my chambers. Gwen grab the goblet, we have to identify the poison."

Arthur grabbed Merlin and flung him onto his shoulder and ran after Gaius.

"Set him on the bed, he's struggling to breathe. Gwen, go get some water."

Arthur set Merlin on the bed gently as Evan walked up.

"Will he be alright?" Arthur asked as Gwen ran back in the room with a sloshing bucket. She dipped a cloth in the water and handed it to Gaius who placed it on Merlin's sweaty forehead.

"I won't know until I identify the poison. Pass me the goblet," Gaius replied quickly. Arthur couldn't tear his eyes away from Merlin who was starting to shake.

"There's something stuck inside…" Gaius muttered.

"What is it?" Arthur asked, standing up.

"Looks like a flower petal of some kind," Gaius replied.

Gwen dabbed Merlin's forehead. "His brows on fire," she said worriedly.

"Keep him cool. It will help control his fever," Gaius replied, pulling out a book. He frantically skimmed through the pages, occasionally holding the petal against the book to compare it before stopping on a page about halfway through.

"Ah. The petal comes from the Mortaeus flower," Gaius informed them. "It says here someone who's been poisoned by the petal of the flower can only be saved by a potion made from the leaf of the very same flower. It can only be found in the caves deep beneath the forest of Balor, the flower grows on the roots of the Mortaeus tree."

"What's that?" Arthur asked pointing to a strange beast on the page next to the caves.

"Cockatrice. It guards the forest. A single drop of its venom would mean certain death. Few who have gone in search of the flower have made it back alive."

Arthur began to pace the room angrily. Arthur looked back at Merlin who lay on the bed gasping weakly. "Sounds like fun" Arthur decided, walking towards the door.

"Arthur, it's too dangerous!" Gaius exclaimed.

"If I don't get the antidote what happens to Merlin?" Arthur demanded.

"The Mortaeus juices cause a slow and painful death. He may hold out for four, maybe five days but not for much longer. Eventually he will die," Gaius replied.

"We can't let him die," Evan whispered. Arthur nodded in agreement and walked out of the room, determination written across his features.

Arthur quickly pulled his armor on and marched towards the stables.

"Where are you going?" Uther demanded.

"To save Merlin," Arthur replied determinedly.

"I can't let you go, Arthur," Uther said, his voiced pained.

"Why not?" Arthur demanded.

"Arthur, you're the future king of Camelot. I cannot allow you to risk your life for one man."

"He's family Father!" Arthur exclaimed. "I can't stand by and do nothing when I can do something to save him!"

"I'm sorry, Arthur," Uther whispered, pain and guilt evident in his voice, "but… I can't lose you both."

"You won't," Arthur whispered. "Just let me go and you won't have to lose either of us." Arthur was pleading, begging for him to understand.

"Arthur, I know how much you care, but you're the crowned prince of Camelot and I cannot justify you risking your life for him… no matter how much he means."

"Are you saying his life is worthless?" Arthur demanded furious.

"I'm saying its worth less than yours," Uther replied slowly, almost painfully. That didn't help Arthur's rage, if fact it made him angrier.

"You're just going to give up on him?" Arthur demanded.

"I don't have any other choice," Uther replied softly.

"You _do_ have a choice father," Arthur growled. "You've just decided to give up on him. I can't just sit back and watch him die-"

"Then don't look," Uther growled. "I've heard enough."

Without realizing what he was doing, Arthur raised his fist and swung at a stunned Uther. The King stumbled back as Arthur ran out of the room furious. He stormed into his chambers, threw his sword on the table and leaned heavily against the fireplace, fighting back tears. The knowledge that Merlin, his best friend, was going to _die_ all because his father was a selfish greedy-

"Can't say much about the food," a voice commented interrupting his thoughts, "but that was some show."

"Morgana," Arthur sighed. "I'm sorry I should have checked to make sure you were alright..."

"And I was hoping to clump a few of Bayard's men around" Morgana sighed.

"Morgana you shouldn't get involved-" Arthur whispered.

"Oh spare me the lecture," Morgana snapped. "I've already heard that from Uther."

"You're not the only one," Arthur sighed.

"Not that I listen to him," Morgana declared. "Sometimes you've got to do what's right and damn the consequences." Arthur looked up at Morgana surprise written across his face.

"You think I should go," Arthur said, "but you hate Merlin…"

"I don't hate him," Morgana corrected. "And either way, it doesn't matter what I think."

"If I die who will be king?" Arthur asked.

"You always said that Merlin was family, that he was your brother. He would do anything to save you if you where the one dying. Are you going to let him down?" Morgana demanded. "Besides, what kind of king would Camelot want? One who would risk his life for a single man or one who does what he's told?"

Arthur locked eyes with Morgana. She was right; Merlin was his friend. He refused to sit back and do nothing. It was time he just did what was right, and damned the consequences. He ran out of the room and down to the stables. Within minutes he had jumped on a horse and galloped off. A few guards tried to stop him, but when he didn't slow down they jumped out of the way.

_ Hang on Merlin…_

* * *

><p>The next morning Gwen and Gaius where tending to Merlin when they heard a faint murmuring sound. Merlin's lips moved quickly as he mumbled a seemingly incoherent stream of words. Gaius immediately recognized it as the ancient language.<p>

"What language is that?" asked Gwen.

"None, the fever's taken hold; none of those words are his own" Gaius assured her quickly. "His pulse is weaker…" That's when Gaius noticed a red mark on his arm.

"What is it?" she inquired.

"This can't be…" Gaius muttered. "The rash isn't supposed to form until the last stage."

"What does it mean?" Gwen asked.

"Something's increased the flowers potency," he muttered, opening his book and flipping to the page he had marked before. "It says once the rash appears the victim only has two days."

"You said he had four," Gwen whispered.

He looked back at the book.

"It says if magic is used in the preparation of the flower it will cause the effects to become more rapid…"

"But Bayard's no sorcerer," Gwen muttered.

"No he's not…" Gaius agreed.

"I saw Merlin talking to a strange servant. I'd never seen her before; could she have something to do with it?" Gwen asked.

"Go down to the dungeons, see if she's there," Gaius told her. She ran out of the room, heading for the cells that housed Bayard and his men.

Gaius stared at Merlin, thinking hard. Something wasn't right, not right at all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

** Wow this was difficult. So what do you think about Uther? How will he feel about all of this? Find out in the next chapter.**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N**

** Hatstand betad umm… I don't own Merlin BBC does….enjoy!**

* * *

><p>'Furious' didn't even begin to describe Uther's anger. He wasn't furious. No, he was <em>livid.<em> Arthur had directly disobeyed him and was currently riding to his death. Uther stormed into Gaius's chamber, ready to demand why he had sent Arthur to his doom, and then froze at the sight of his ward. Merlin lay on Gaius's bed gasping weakly, his hair plastered to his pale, sweaty face.

"Uther," Gaius said. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you aware that Arthur is riding to his death… against my orders?"

"Arthur has every right to choose what he does," Gaius replied slowly.

"What will happen when he doesn't return?" Uther demanded.

"What will you do when he does?" Gaius countered. "I trust Arthur, and it's time you did the same."

Before Uther could say anything else Gwen burst in, slightly out of breath.

"So let me guess, she wasn't there?" Gaius asked cryptically.

"No one's seen her since the banquet," Gwen agreed.

"Who?" Uther asked. Gaius eyed him wearily before replying,

"I don't think Bayard was the one who poisoned Merlin."

"Of course he did!" Uther snapped, livid.

"The flower used in the poison was made more potent with magic…only a very powerful sorceress could have done that… oh no…"

"What?" Gwen asked worriedly.

"The sorceress knows the only place to find the cure; Arthur could be walking straight into a trap."

"Arthur…" Merlin mumbled weakly.

* * *

><p>Arthur looked around the forest wearily. He hadn't seen any living thing since he'd passed the tree line, and he knew that the Cockatrice could be anywhere, waiting to strike…<p>

He stopped his horse when he heard something that sounded like crying. Slowly he urged his horse foreword until he caught sight of a woman sitting on a rock, crying softly. Arthur jumped off his horse and tied it to a fallen tree before cautiously approaching the woman.

"Hello?" Arthur asked. The woman turned away from Arthur, still crying. "Are you alright?" he continued, kneeling down in front of her. Somewhere behind him, Arthur heard a roar and the woman screamed in terror. Arthur whipped around to see The Cockatrice approaching him, growling. He whipped out his sword expertly, turning to face the monster. He slashed at it a few times before it leapt at him. He easily rolled under it before turning to face it again. Without really thinking, he threw the sword. The sword flipped through the air before impaling the beast's heart. The monster collapsed to the ground, screaming, before falling still.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you," Arthur assured the woman. She began to back away from him, fear evident in her eyes.

He was sure he'd seen those very same eyes before. _Don't trust her... _A voice begged inside his head. It sounded eerily like Merlin's.

"Who did that?" Arthur asked, trying to ignore the voice. He gestured to the wounds that covered he body and added to the red colour of her dress.

"My master," she whispered. "I ran away and got lost… please don't leave me."

"I won't," he promised. "There's something I have to do though…"

"What is it?" she asked kindly. "I know this place, maybe I can help."

"I'm looking for something, a flower; it's very rare and can only be found in these caves."

"The Mortaeus flower," she said smiling. "I know where that is. Come, I can show you."

Something was screaming at Arthur, telling him that she shouldn't be trusted. Then he remembered Merlin laying on the bed gasping for breath, dying. If she could get him to the flower and back to Merlin faster, how could she be dangerous? Pushing all doubt aside Arthur followed her into the caves.

* * *

><p>Uther watched quietly as Gaius and Evan tended to Merlin, who was rapidly getting weaker. As much as he didn't like it, the King prayed that Arthur would make it back alive and with whatever it was that Gaius needed to save the boy. He stiffened when he heard Merlin start to mumble in the ancient language. How did he know those words? Why was he trying to use magic?<p>

"Arthur… it's a trap…" Merlin groaned and continued saying things in the language of the Old Religion. Gaius wiped Merlin's forehead with the cloth whispering,

"Shh…"

"His fever's getting worse," Evan muttered.

"The poison's setting in," Gaius affirmed. Uther stared at Merlin in horror.

"Evan can you get me some wool?" Gaius asked.

Evan stood nodding his head and quickly walked out of the room.

"Where did he learn that?" Uther whispered.

"Nowhere," Gaius assured, "it's the fever."

"That's the language of the Old Religion. I know it is!" Uther exclaimed.

"Uther, I assure you it's just the fever. Merlin had been taking the potion every day. I've personally seen to that, sire. It's nothing to worry about."

Uther nodded his head slowly, watching Merlin intently as he continued to thrash.

"There it is," the woman told Arthur, pointing to a wall on the other side of a deep crevasse. They were standing on a ledge that jutted out across the expanse and ended about two feet away from the rock shelf with the flower on it.

"Keep away from the edge," Arthur warned. "We'll be out of here soon."

Cautiously, Arthur inched his way across the thin rock that threatened to crumble beneath his feet. When he was about halfway across he heard the woman start to mumble under her breath, and felt the rock fragmenting underneath his feet.

"What are you doing?" Arthur demanded as she chanted louder. He stumbled and the torch fell from his hand into the abyss. He jumped onto the ledge just as the rock completely fell away. He was left hanging on to the ledge, trying to pull himself up frantically.

"I expected so much more."

"Who are you?" Arthur demanded, furious, mentally slapping himself for not listening to his instinct.

"The last face you'll ever see," she replied, smirking.

Arthur heard a hissing noise and her smirk grew wider as a spider the size of a dog crawled into view. He tried to move across the ledge away from the spider, but he had only gone a few feet when he was forced to abandon his flight. Arthur let go of the ledge with one hand and grabbed his sword, cutting the spider in half as it jumped at him. The woman frowned.

"I'll let the others finish you off…" And then she was gone, plunging Arthur into complete darkness.

"Who are you?" Arthur shouted, his only reply was silence.

* * *

><p>Merlin's breath was growing shorter as he frantically whispered a under his breath. Suddenly a strange blue light filled the room. Staring at Gaius in horror, Uther pulled down the blankets to find a glowing blue orb in Merlin's hand.<p>

"Merlin, what are you doing?" Gaius asked in horror.

"You knew?" Uther gasped. "You _lied_ to me?"

"He's scared, Uther," Gaius snapped. "He believes you'd have him executed if you found out."

"What?"

"He's petrified that you'll have him killed for his magic. I promised him I'd keep it a secret. Please let him tell you that he has magic, _show_ him that you _can_ accept magic." Uther stared at Gaius a deep feeling of betrayal filling up inside him. Why did Gaius lie to him?

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** What will Uther do? How will Uther react when Arthur gets back? Sorry I was planning on putting this and the next as one chapter but it was about 10 pages on word and just really long. Hope you enjoyed this **


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N**

** Hatstand is an awesome beta, again, umm… I hate having to put up so many disclaimers every chapter but I don't own Merlin its characters or plots BBC does blah blah lol. **

* * *

><p>Arthur felt his grip on the ledge slipping. He tried to pull himself up, but he couldn't see a thing. Suddenly, a blue light filled the room and a glowing orb flew down and hovered in front of him. At first he thought it was the sorceress who'd come back to finish him off, but it just floated there lighting the way for him. <em>Follow the light…<em> the voice begged.

"Merlin…" he whispered. With one final burst of strength, Arthur pulled himself onto the ledge and the orb flew higher, illuminating more of the wall. He could practically hear it telling him to climb it; that there was a way out. He then stopped, the flowers a few feet above him, the hissing of hundreds of spiders frantically climbing the wall. He scrambled to reach the flower. His warriors instincts were screaming at him to leave the flower because he couldn't possible get the it and make it out of the cave alive. But 'protective older brother' mode was kicking in. He refused to leave without that flower!

When he was close enough, Arthur reached out to try and reach the flower, but his fingertips only just brushed the closest petals. Arthur grunted and leaned over as much as he dared as the spiders continued quickly climbing the wall towards him. He leaned over just a bit more and finally was able to grab one of the blooms. He carefully placed it in one of his pouches and continued climbing the wall. The light continued to guide him upwards; soon Arthur glimpsed a patch of sky and the orb flew out of the small opening, urging him on. With a final burst of speed Arthur scaled the final few feet and pulled himself out into the open. The spiders didn't follow him out of the caves, so Arthur ran back to his horse and galloped full speed back to Camelot.

* * *

><p>Fear filled Uther's heart as he watched Merlin frantically gasp for the air he just wasn't getting. He prayed that Arthur would get back soon, if he got back at all.<p>

"Arthur had better hurry," Gwen muttered. She and Evan had been trading places for the past couple days in watching over Merlin. Evan had left a few minutes ago, promising to check on Morgana for her.

"Merlin doesn't have much time," Gaius agreed dabbing Merlin's forehead with the cloth.

Uther had barely spoken since he'd found out that Merlin knew of his magic. He had always imagined how the conversation where he told Merlin about his magic would go. He never imagined Gaius would be the one to tell him everything, and now he wondered if he'd ever be able to tell Merlin _anything_ again. His only consolation was that Arthur was probably alive; Merlin had stopped calling out for him hours ago, the strange orb fading back into nothing. Merlin had remained frighteningly silent throughout the morning. According to Gaius to the fever was taking hold.

"It's Arthur!" Gwen shouted, pointing out the window. Uther ran to the window and looked out. Sure enough, there was Arthur galloping at break-neck speed through the city.

"Gwen, go fetch some water. Quickly!" Gaius shouted at a surprised Gwen. She ran off, eager to comply.

Seconds later Arthur burst in, pulling a small yellow flower from his pouch as he walked over to Gaius. Gaius snatched the flower and pulled off a couple of leaves, mashing them in a small bowl. A moment later he froze, fear written across his face.

"Why have you stopped?" Arthur demanded, noting how shallow Merlin's breathing was.

"The poison was prepared with magic… what if magic is needed to make the antidote?" Gaius wondered.

"Just do it!" Uther hissed.

Gaius raised the bowl and muttered the spell under his breath, his eyes flashing gold. The contents of the bowl boiled for a minute before turning a dark green. Gaius set the bowl down just as Gwen returned, passing the water over to Gaius who poured a small amount in it before hurrying over to Merlin. He lifted Merlin's head up and tipped the cup against his lips.

"Swallow…" Gaius ordered Merlin who slowly drank it down. He lowered Merlin's head down again and waited nervously. Merlin took a painful gasp before slumping over completely still.

"He's not breathing!" Gwen shouted. Gaius placed his ear against Merlin's chest trying to listen for a heart beat.

"His heart's not beating," Gaius whispered, stunned. Gwen let out a weak sob, and Uther sank into the nearest chair, staring at Merlin; disbelief written plainly across his features. Gaius hugged Gwen tightly.

"It's my fault… I should have taken better care of him…" Gaius said softly.

Arthur's throat tightened painfully as he fought back tears.

"That's disgusting!"

A voice Arthur thought he'd never hear again. He turned back to Merlin, and a smile spread across his face.

"You're old enough to be her grandfather," Merlin added grinning weakly.

"Merlin!" Gwen exclaimed, flinging herself at Merlin and kissing him full on the lips. She broke away, blushing.

"I'm sorry…" she stammered.

"It's fine," Merlin assured grinning goofily.

Uther frowned at the strange display, but didn't have the heart to scold them. Merlin _had_ died for a minute there.

Arthur couldn't stop himself; a laugh broke free, tears of mirth streaking his cheeks. He bent over and pulled Merlin into a tight embrace.

"Don't do _dare_ die on me again," Arthur warned, "or I'll hunt you down and kill you. Again."

"I'll keep that in mind," Merlin assured, grinning.

Uther patted Merlin's shoulder.

"I'm glad you're alright," he said warmly.

"Me too," Merlin grinned.

* * *

><p>Two days later, Merlin was sitting in his chambers in his favorite spot by the window when he heard someone come in. He assumed it was Evan and continued reading his book. For the past two days he had been under strict house arrest; he was banned from leaving his chambers and all of his food was tasted before being given to him. Merlin hated all the fuss he was getting, but knew that Uther had been shaken up by the whole ordeal and wisely chose not to complain.<p>

"What? Not even 'thank you' for the man that saved your life?" Arthur asked teasingly.

Merlin raised his eyes up and was surprised to find Arthur standing casually in the middle of his chambers.

"Why didn't you come by yesterday?" Merlin demanded, then he noticed how dirty Arthur looked.

Arthur's face fell slightly. "Despite how happy he was to see you alive… Uther was not happy about me disobeying him…"

"What happened?" Merlin asked setting the book aside.

"I spent the night in the dungeons," Arthur said with a grimace.

"I'm sorry," Merlin muttered guiltily.

"It's not your fault," Arthur assured.

"Thank you for saving me," Merlin said.

"It's what family does for each other," Arthur replied with a shrug. "And I know you'd do the same."

Merlin grinned.

"What happened with Bayard?" he asked.

"Father let him go," said Arthur.

"Really?"

"I met a sorceress in the woods… managed to convince him that she was probably the one responsible…" Arthur replied. "I should thank you as well…"

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"There was… a light that showed me the way out of the caves when the witch left me to die… That was you wasn't it?"

"I thought that was a dream," Merlin admitted.

"It wasn't," Arthur replied. "You really are an idiot though; even when you're dying you seem to think it's your job to protect me."

"Who else is going to do it?" Merlin asked laughing. He knew that this wasn't the end; whoever the sorceress was, they'd see her again. But next time they would be ready.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Great news! Lancelot is next! YESS I've really missed writing about the other knights, they are like my favorite! Let me know what you thought **


	22. Chapter 22

**End Notes**

**So Hatstand betad BBC owns everything I'm just a humble writer blah blah umm we're finally at Lancelot so enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Merlin grinned slightly as he set down his basket and bent over to pick some mushrooms for Gaius. Ordinarily the Physician himself or a servant would do this, but Merlin desperately wanted to go out and since Arthur was busy training all day. The field with the mushrooms in question was close enough to Camelot that Gaius and Uther had both permitted him to go.<p>

He deeply breathed in the fresh forest air; he hadn't been outside the castle since he'd been poisoned over a week ago and desperately needed some fresh air.

Uther had been acting strangely around him for the past few days; Merlin always caught him watching him carefully. Whenever he asked him about it Uther would shrug him off saying he was just worried.

Thankfully, the King once again didn't say anything to him about Gwen, so they kept on seeing each other like usual. They both knew that they didn't really like each other, but that didn't stop Arthur from teasing them mercilessly.

Merlin froze when he heard a growl and whipped around to see a huge monster swoop to the ground, landing right in front of him. The beast had wings and a beak like a bird but the body and size of a horse. The incredible wind created by its arrival was enough to knock him off his feet.

He scrambled to his feet and started running, abandoning his basket by the tree. The thing continued to chase him and was rapidly gaining on him. Merlin stumbled to the ground and the thing was above him, glaring down at him with cold black eyes. He shut his eyes, waiting for pain that never came.

Merlin heard a shout and the creature screech in pain. He opened his eyes and saw a man battling the creature. The man swung at the thing, his sword shattering on contact.

The man hauled Merlin to his feet. "Run!" he yelled. The two ran towards the trees and jumped over a fallen log, ducking behind it. The monster screeched before taking off into the sky.

"You saved my life," Merlin gasped at the man, who was clutching his side. "I'm Merlin." Merlin stuck out his hand.

"Lancelot," the man replied, taking Merlin's hand and shaking it weakly.

Lancelot groaned in pain and slumped over, his hand falling to the ground to reveal his now bloodstained shirt.

* * *

><p>"His wound is superficial" Gaius informed Merlin. Merlin had dragged the bleeding Lancelot back to Camelot, when the guards saw them they took Lancelot and carried him to Gaius's chambers. "His fever will pass. He should be fine by morning."<p>

"He saved my life, Gaius," Merlin said somberly.

Lancelot was breathing heavily, moaning in pain. Merlin couldn't help but blame himself. If he wasn't so useless with a sword…

* * *

><p>"Ever since I was a child, I've dreamed of coming here," Lancelot informed him the next morning. Just like Gaius had said; Lancelot was back on his feet the next day, looking like nothing had happened. "It's my life's ambition to join the knights of Camelot."<p>

Merlin grinned at Lancelot.

"I know what you're thinking I expect too much," Lancelot sighed. "Who am I; they have there pick of the finest and bravest men."

"Lancelot," Merlin interrupted, "they're going to love you. I've seen you in action and you're amazing… I bet you could shame the famous Arthur himself."

"I doubt that," Lancelot replied, but he was grinning now.

"In fact," Merlin continued, "I'm going to go talk to him right now."

Determined Merlin stood and began walking towards the door.

"You know Arthur?" Lancelot asked, amazed.

"Oh yes," Merlin replied with a grin.

* * *

><p>"Alright men," Arthur called out to the assembled group, "this is your final test. Pass and you become a knight of Camelot. Fail and you are a no one. You will be facing the most feared of all foes; the ultimate killing machine. You face me."<p>

Merlin rolled his eyes and smirked slightly. He and Lancelot had come out to watch the final test after which he planned on talking to Arthur.

"Your challenge," Arthur continued; "to last one minute of free combat. Grimond, Second son of Weskits, your time starts now."

Merlin rolled his eyes as Grimond swung his two swords around trying to look menacing as he approached Arthur. Merlin could tell the Prince was trying not to roll his eyes as Grimond swung at him. Arthur punched him in the gut and hit his head with the hilt of his sword. It was over. He locked eyes with Merlin, shaking his head and bent over to take his blue ribbon.

"Take him away," Arthur ordered, walking over to where Merlin and Lancelot where standing. "Grimond is the third to fail this month; how am I supposed to defend Camelot with rubbish like that?"

Lancelot gaped at the two of them.

"Maybe I can help with that," Merlin replied cheerfully.

"Merlin, no offense but I've seen you with a sword and you're not much better then Grimond even. And _that's_ saying something."

"No, not me," Merlin corrected, "Him." Merlin patted Lancelot's shoulder.

"And who is this exactly?" Arthur asked eyeing Lancelot wearily.

"Lancelot. He saved my life Arthur. He's good, really good," Merlin said excitedly.

"What do you mean saved your life?" Arthur demanded.

"It's a long story but trust me: he's good," Merlin replied, carefully steering clear of any mention of magical monsters.

"Merlin, you know the first code," Arthur sighed. "_O__nly_ nobility can serve as knights."

"Well the laws stupid," Merlin retorted.

"Regardless of what you or I think, Merlin," Arthur replied, "the laws the law-"

"Well he is a noble," Merlin replied. Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"Really?"

"Yep," Merlin assured.

"Is this true?" Arthur asked Lancelot who looked between Merlin and Arthur worriedly.

"Trust me he is," Merlin assured.

"Fine," Arthur replied. "He can come to the training field, but he must have his family crest with him." Arthur walked off to get his armor removed and Merlin turned to Lancelot grinning.

"You're in!"

"But I'm not nobility," Lancelot sighed.

"Leave that to me," Merlin replied, grinning.

Lancelot eyed Merlin wearily before sighing.

"Why does the prince let you get away with that kind of talk?"

"We're practically brothers," Merlin replied shrugging. "I've literally known him my whole life…"

"How?" Lancelot spluttered.

"My dad was the court sorcerer before he died when I was five. Both my parents died that day, and Uther he took me in and raised me like his own."

"You sure are something, Merlin" Lancelot commented, still stunned.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"You're the king's ward and yet you're willing to break the law to help someone you barely even know," Lancelot elaborated.

"Sometimes you've just got to do what's right," Merlin replied, shrugging.

"Regardless of the consequences?" Lancelot asked.

"Arthur disobeyed the king to save my life; I can't sit by and do nothing for someone just because of the law… especially someone who saved my life. Why do you want to be a knight so much, anyway?"

"When I was a boy, my village was attacked by raiders from the northern plains," Lancelot replied slowly. "We were slaughtered where we stood; my father, my mother, everyone. I alone escaped. That day I swore: never again would I be helpless in the face of tyranny. Swordplay became my life; from that moment on I spent every moment practicing in the arts of combat. When I was ready I set forth to Camelot. Now it seems my journey ends; everything I fought for was wasted."

"I give you my word, Lancelot, I will make this right," Merlin assured. He would not fail; Lancelot would become a knight, even if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Merlin snuck into the library and started searching for a book with family crests. He quickly found the one he was after and started searching through the list of families to find the perfect one. Preferably it had to be someone not close to Uther and with a large family, mostly boys, ensuring that Uther wouldn't notice the extra son. Glancing around to make sure Geoffrey wasn't nearby; Merlin pulled out a piece of parchment and muttered a spell, copying the coat of arms from the book onto the parchment with Lancelot's name at the top. Lancelot was in!<p>

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**YES! FINALL! I didn't realize how much I'd miss writing about the other knights (especially Gwaine) oh well, hope you enjoyed this!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N**

** Sorry for the delay, me and my beta have been ridiculously busy but here it is now!**

* * *

><p>Merlin strode into Gaius's chambers confidently, grinning from ear to ear.<p>

"What's that?" Lancelot asked, indicating the paper in Merlin's hand.

"This is your family crest," Merlin replied smugly.

"I don't understand," said Lancelot glancing at the paper as Merlin unrolled it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lancelot; Fifth son of Lord Eldred of Northumbria," Merlin announced in a mock-serious tone.

"No." Lancelot shook his head. "This is lying, Merlin."

"You have just as much right as any noble to become a knight," Merlin assured him.

"But this goes against the knight's code!" Lancelot exclaimed.

"We're not breaking the rules," Merlin argued. "We're just... bending them."

"This is wrong, Merlin," Lancelot repeated firmly.

"Look this will just get your foot in the door," Merlin reasoned. "After that, if you become a knight it will because you earned it. Noble or not. You can do this, if you let me help you."

Lancelot locked eyes with Merlin before slowly taking the scroll from his hands.

* * *

><p>"This is very kind of you…" Lancelot began. Gwen studied the measuring tape for a moment, before standing and wrapping it around his forearm.<p>

"Gwen, short for Guinevere," she supplied with a smile.

"Well thank you, Gwen," Lancelot finished.

"Don't thank me," Gwen told him. "Thank Merlin. He'd do just about anything for anyone though, wouldn't you Merlin." Merlin shrugged slightly. "Well I'm glad he's helping you become a knight, we need men like you."

"Really?" Lancelot asked.

"Well not me personally, but Camelot," Gwen corrected, slightly flustered, as she measured around Lancelot's neck. "Camelot needs knights; not just Arthur and his kind but ordinary men like you and me."

"Well, I'm not a knight yet, my lady," Lancelot replied modestly.

"And I'm not a lady," Gwen grinned, trying to hide a slight blush that colored her cheeks.

"Well… um… I'm sorry my… um," Lancelot stammered awkwardly.

"Well we're done," Gwen declared, slightly flustered. "I should have these done in no time… It was nice meeting you Lancelot." Gwen stuck out her hand for Lancelot to shake. With a swift movement, Lancelot took her hand in his and kissed it lightly.

* * *

><p>"She seems lovely," Lancelot said with a smile.<p>

"She is," Merlin agreed. "And she's the best seamstress in all of Camelot, I can guarantee that."

"Are you two… you know," Lancelot began awkwardly.

"What? No!"

"I've heard talk about you two…" Lancelot continued.

"No, no. We're just good friends," Merlin assured. Lancelot nodded his head, his smile spreading a little further.

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin and Gwen helped Lancelot with his armor, watching as Arthur drilled the knights.<p>

"Where did you learn so much about armor?" Gwen asked Merlin. "I mean you're not allowed-"

"I've helped Arthur quite a few times," Merlin interrupted before she could finish. He blushed a little. "It's simple really."

Merlin hoped Lancelot wouldn't ask further, but he looked too nervous even to have heard them.

"That's enough for today," Arthur told his knights after a minute.

"Here's your chance," Merlin whispered. Lancelot nodded his head and walked over to Arthur. He bowed deeply before holding out the crest for the Prince to take. Arthur made a move to take it, but at the last second struck Lancelot across the face, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Slow reflexes," Arthur analyzed. "If you were in the battle field, you'd be dead. Come back when you're ready."

Getting to his feet, Lancelot argued; "But I'm ready _now,_ sire."

"Really?" Arthur asked.

Lancelot nodded confidently.

"Fine. You can start by mucking out the stables."

Lancelot's face fell as the other knights laughed. Across the field Merlin smiled and gave him a thumb up. Sighing, Lancelot trudged off to the stables.

* * *

><p>Merlin sighed as he made his way to Gaius's chambers. He hated having to go there every day to 'take his medicine', but if they wanted to prevent Uther from finding out about his magic, they had to keep the act up.<p>

Lancelot had spent the past couple days mucking out the stables; sweeping and cleaning like a common servant. He was getting fed up, but was kept silent by Merlin's assurance that it would pay off.

When Merlin walked in Gaius was bent over his mortar, mixing.

"I'm sorry about Lancelot," Gaius said softly, making Merlin freeze for a moment before he realized he was talking about Lancelot's becoming a knight.

"Well, that's life. You win some you lose some," Merlin replied, shrugging.

"Really?" Gaius asked dryly.

"What?" Merlin tried his best to look innocent.

"Merlin, I've known you your entire life. You're like an open book. Now talk," Gaius ordered.

Merlin groaned. "So I bent the rules a little bit…"

"With magic?" Gaius demanded.

"The rules are wrong!" Merlin exclaimed.

"That doesn't matter!" Gaius shouted. "Your magic is not a toy. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"I owe him my life!" Merlin explained. "I'm replaying him the only way I can; by giving him the chance he deserves. So... if you want to report me to Uther for that, go ahead-report me to Uther."

"Merlin, you know I would never report you for something like this," Gaius scolded, deflated.

Merlin was about to say something when the warning bells sounded. He and Gaius ran out to the courtyard where bloody and bruised people were being assisted by the knights. Gaius immediately went to a woman starting to clean her wounds. Merlin went to the girl next to her.

"Don't worry you're safe, I promise," he assured her.

Lancelot appeared next to Merlin. "What happened to these people?" he asked.

"They were attacked by a monster," Gaius informed him gravely.

Arthur walked over to them. "Are there any dead?" he asked Gaius worriedly.

"I don't know," Gaius admitted.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Lancelot asked.

"Only a knight can fight in combat," Arthur replied slowly.

"I know but-" Lancelot argued but Arthur cut him off.

"That's why I'm moving your test forward; you face me in the morning."

* * *

><p>Lancelot shifted warily watching as Arthur explained the rules to Lancelot.<p>

"Lancelot," Arthur warned, "your time starts now."

Arthur put on his helmet and turned to face Lancelot, who pulled out his sword. Merlin held his breath as they sparred. It became obvious very quickly that the two were evenly matched.

Lancelot hit Arthur around the head, drawing a gasp from the gathered audience. Gwen grabbed Merlin's hand, and then withdrew it mumbling a quick apology.

Arthur and Lancelot continued to exchange blows until Arthur threw a wild punch sending Lancelot to the ground, unconscious.

Arthur shoved his sword into the ground and stood over Lancelot.

"Shame."

Arthur bent over to take Lancelot's ribbon when Lancelot's eyes flew open and he kicked out, downing Arthur and grabbing his sword. He pointed it at Arthur's heart.

"Do you submit sire?" Lancelot asked.

Arthur stared at Lancelot, shell shocked as a pair of knights grabbed Lancelot and began to drag him away. The Prince stood, infuriated and grabbed a sword.

"On your knees," he snarled.

The knights shoved Lancelot to his knees and Arthur pressed his sword against his chest.

Merlin stood there frozen, disbelief written plainly across his face. Just as he was about to say something, Arthur burst out laughing and put his sword away.

A wide grin spread across Merlin's face.

* * *

><p>"Arise Sir Lancelot, knight of Camelot." Uther touched the sword onto Lancelot's shoulder. The new knight rose slowly. The crowds' cheers echoed around the room.<p>

"I told you he was good," Merlin whispered to Arthur, who was grinning.

"You were right," Arthur agreed.

"You do us a great honor Lancelot," Uther said, patting Lancelot on the shoulder. "The knighthood is the very foundation of Camelot."

"The honor is all mine, Sire," Lancelot replied, grinning.

"Your father will be very proud," Uther continued.

"Indeed he will," Lancelot agreed.

"I've not seen Lord Eldred for many years," Uther admitted. Merlin was getting a deep feeling on unease in the pit of his stomach. "Longer then I'd imagined, it seems. Last I heard he only had four sons." Merlin's face fell and Lancelot froze for a minute before saying slowly,

"Well… here I am…"

"Indeed you are," Uther agreed. Merlin felt sick. "I've kept you long enough, enjoy the celebrations." Merlin slumped over in relief as Lancelot bowed.

"Sire."

"What did you do?" Arthur hissed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Merlin replied slowly.

"_Mer_lin," Arthur hissed as Uther passed Lancelot's seal to a servant saying something about Geoffrey.

"It's nothing," Merlin assured, flashing a weak grin as he walked off to congratulate Lancelot. His path was blocked by a large group of knights so he instead wandered over to Gwen, hoping to get rid of the uneasy feeling that was building up inside of him.

"I bet Lancelot has eyes for you," Merlin said teasingly.

"I don't think so," Gwen gushed. "Besides, he's really not my type."

"Gwen I wonder if you'd know who your type was even if he was standing right next to you," Merlin scolded teasingly.

"You're probably right," Gwen admitted.

"So, for the sake of argument, if you had to choose; Arthur or Lancelot?" Merlin asked.

"But I don't have to and I never will" Gwen replied grinning.

"You are no fun, Gwen," Merlin grinned.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Arthur declared beaming while pulling Lancelot to his feet. "Please join me in a toast to our new recruit, Sir Lancelot!"

The audience burst into applause and Merlin forced himself to push his worries aside. This was a celebration, after all.

* * *

><p><strong>End notes<strong>

** What's Uther up to? Hmm… let me know what you thought!**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N**

** So pretty much I think I'm going to be dividing the episodes into four parts rather than three, so here we go. **

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin was on his way to Gaius's chambers to get his medicine for the day when he saw a pair of guards dragging Lancelot to the throne room.<p>

He followed the guards shouting, "What are you doing?"

"Kings orders," one of the guards replied stiffly. The guard dragged Lancelot before the king and shoved him to his knees.

"Tell him what you told me," Uther growled to Geoffrey.

"These credentials are faked," Geoffrey informed Lancelot darkly. "The best forgery I've seen, but forgery none the less; there is no record of Lord Eldred of Northumbria having a fifth son. Therefore he-"

"Lied," Uther finished for Geoffrey. Lancelot hung his head as Uther continued. "Do you deny it?"

"No, Sire," Lancelot breathed, shaking his head.

Merlin stood there shell shocked as Uther glared at Lancelot and Arthur hung his head.

"You've broken the first code of Camelot," Uther whispered. "You've brought shame upon yourself and us. You're not worthy of the knighthood bestowed upon you; you never were and you never will be. Get him out of my sight."

"NO!" Merlin shouted snapping out of his stupor.

"Merlin, stay out of this," Uther growled.

"This is wrong!" Merlin shouted.

"He _lied,_" Uther growled.

"He didn't mean any harm; all he wanted to do was serve…"

"The first code is the sacred bond of trust!" Uther shouted. "How can you trust a man who's lied to you?"

"He wouldn't have done it if I hadn't forced him to!" Merlin exclaimed.

"What?" Uther growled.

"Merlin stop!" Lancelot shouted but Merlin ignored him.

"I made the fake seal, _I_ convinced Lancelot to try and become a knight…"

"Why would you disgrace myself and this court like this?" Uther snarled.

"I owe him my life!" Merlin exclaimed, "When I was out gathering herbs for Gaius a winged creature attacked me." Merlin heard Arthur gasp and saw Uther's eyes widen, but he continued on. "Lancelot saved my life and was nearly killed doing it. I had to help him. Becoming a knight is something he's dreamed of his whole life-"

"Enough!" Uther snarled. Merlin winced as Uther continued. "I should never have let you leave the grounds alone…"

"But-" Merlin begged, but Uther wouldn't listen.

"All you can do is get yourself into trouble! From now on Merlin you are forbidden from even leaving the castle without a guard" Uther declared,

"That's not fair!" Merlin exclaimed.

"_Am I understood?_" Uther bellowed. Merlin glared at Uther with pure loathing before turning on his heel and running out.

* * *

><p>Merlin could barely stand to watch Arthur as he battled the creature in the courtyard. Merlin had tried to do something, anything to help; but the guards in front of his room forced him back inside. He tried to tune out the shouts of terror and the roars of the creature. His only consolation was that he knew Arthur was alive; the Prince's voice echoed across the courtyard and even into Merlin's room as he frantically barked orders to his men.<p>

The battle lasted for several long, tense minutes that seemed to last an eternity to Merlin. When the screeching of the creature faded, he peered out his window cautiously and caught a glimpse of the knights, all alive, trudging back into the castle. A few minutes later Gaius hurried in clutching a book.

"I think I may have figured out what the creature is!" Gaius declared.

"What?" Merlin asked excitedly.

"The reason I couldn't find it was because I was looking in a book of all the _known_ creatures, then I thought: what about a book on Myths and Legends?" Gaius flipped the book open to a page with the exact creature on it.

"That's it!" Merlin exclaimed.

"It's a griffin," Gaius explained, "a creature of magic that can only be killed by magic."

"We have to tell Uther!" Merlin declared.

"My thoughts exactly," Gaius agreed.

Merlin and Gaius walked into the throne room just as Uther finished congratulating Arthur on a job well done. The King's expression turned stony when he saw Merlin. Gaius spoke before either of them had a chance to.

"Sire, the creature is a griffin."

"What difference does a name make?" Uther asked.

"A griffin is a creature of magic," Gaius explained, "and can only be defeated using magic."

"Nonsense!" Uther declared. "We will find a way to beat it."

"But sire…" Gaius argued, but Uther cut him off,

"It is a creature of flesh and blood, just like you or I. Arthur proved that today."

"I'm not so sure, father," Arthur admitted. "Our weapons where useless against it-"

"Useless? Nonsense," Uther chided.

"I mean it, father; nothing we did left even a scratch on it," Arthur insisted.

"It has tasted our steel once, and it will again," Uther persisted. "When can you and your men ride out?"

Arthur sighed in defeat. "An hour, two at most."

"Good. We end this tonight."

Arthur bowed stiffly before leaving to follow the Kings' orders, Merlin hot on his heels.

"Arthur, you know you can't fight this-"

"I have to try," Arthur replied sternly. "Innocent people are dying."

"If you go you _will_ die," Merlin pleaded, "and you know it!"

"I have to do this!" Arthur snapped.

"What good will you be to the Kingdom if you're dead!" Merlin shouted.

"What choice do I have?" Arthur countered.

"Please, just try and delay as long as possible while I figure out what to do," Merlin begged.

"I don't want to see you get hurt," Arthur argued.

"Arthur, you and I both know the only way to defeat the griffin is with magic, and I'm probably the only one here with enough magic to have a chance of doing any harm. I _have_ to do this."

"You expect me to stand by and watch as you go risk your life for me?" Arthur demanded.

"Yes Arthur, it's my _destiny_ to protect you," Merlin replied with such seriousness that Arthur couldn't help but believe that it was true. But Merlin was still family, he wasn't about to give up without a fight.

"What if you die?" Arthur asked, pain laced in his words.

Merlin's expression softened slightly. "Arthur, either way I'm probably going to die. I mean, you and I both know magic is the only way to stop the griffin. If I don't go everyone will die and if I go I know I could get killed but I'd rather die fighting than sit back and let the griffin kill everyone I love."

Arthur nodded his head stiffly before pulling Merlin into a tight embrace.

"Be careful," he whispered.

"You too."

* * *

><p>Gaius watched Uther sadly as he angrily paced around the throne room.<p>

"Please, just listen to me sire-" Gaius begged.

"I know what you're thinking," Uther growled, "but I will _not_ allow you to send Merlin off to fight the griffin. He's _not_ a warrior, Gaius; he will get killed!"

"And yet you send Arthur, you own _son_, off to his death," Gaius countered.

"He can defeat the griffin," Uther protested, but Gaius knew he didn't believe it.

"Uther, Arthur will _die_ if you let him go," Gaius whispered. "Merlin is the only one who has a chance of stopping it."

"You expect me to send the boy who's been like a son to me to his death?" Uther snapped.

"You're doing that with Arthur right now!" Gaius countered.

"Arthur is one of the best knights in Camelot! Merlin is just a sick boy…"

"Not anymore," Gaius whispered calmly. "I know you want to protect him, but you need to let Merlin do this."

A look of agony crossed Uther's face. "Alright… Let him do what he needs to do."

* * *

><p>Gaius hurried to Merlin's room, clutching the book tightly in his hands. He'd been searching for nearly an hour before he'd found what he was looking for. He pushed the door to Merlin's room open and found him frantically searching through his books.<p>

"What are you doing?" Gaius asked.

"I'm trying to figure out how to kill the griffin," Merlin muttered, "and don't try and stop me."

"I wasn't going to," Gaius replied, setting the book down in front of him. "Quite the opposite, actually; this is the only thing that will help you kill the griffin."

Merlin frantically pulled the book closer and he quickly read the spell, his face falling.

"I've never cast a spell this powerful before…"

"It is the only spell powerful enough to kill the griffin," Gaius replied sadly.

"I don't know if I can do it," Merlin whispered.

"Try," Gaius encouraged handing Merlin a dagger to practice on. Merlin slowly took the dagger from Gaius's hand, staring at it intently as he said the spell. Nothing happened.

"Gaius I…"

"Don't worry; you have time," Gaius assured. A trace of worry entered his voice, and he spoke more softly. "You must do this, for Arthur."

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** How will Lancelot come into play? Will Uther regret letting Merlin go? How will it all end? **


	25. Chapter 25

Merlin paced his chambers angrily, glaring at the knife as he did so. Nothing he did seemed to make the spell work, and he was rapidly running out of time. He hastily flung the dagger under his bed when he heard the door open and Evan hurriedly walked in.

"I heard what happened. Is it true that the creatures a griffin?" Evan asked.

"Yes," Merlin replied dryly.

"And it can only be defeated with magic?" Evan continued.

"Yes," Merlin repeated, "and yet Uther's going to send Arthur to his death anyways."

"What are you going to do?" Evan asked. Merlin eyed him warily before replying slowly,

"I know what needs to be done, but I need to find ways to sneak out of the castle; my chambers are being guarded and I'm not allowed to leave."

"Have you tried the window?" Evan suggested.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"The window," Evan repeated, tapping at the glass.

"Evan, I can't survive a fifteen foot drop," Merlin informed him, peering down towards the town square.

"But you could survive say a three foot drop?" Evan asked. Merlin stared at him incredulously as he grabbed the sheets from the bed and began tying them together. A wide grin to slowly spread across Merlin's face.

"You are a genius!"

Merlin warily eyed the crude rope as Evan tied one end to his bed and threw the other end out the window.

"Don't worry, you'll be perfectly safe," Evan assured him. "Just start climbing down the rope."

Merlin groaned before grabbing the rope and starting to climb down. He half expected the hand-made rope to come undone or for the guards' heads to appear out of the window and to pull him back up into his room, but neither happened. Once he reached the end of the rope he let go and dropped the last couple of feet to the ground.

"Thank you!" he called up to Evan once he'd climbed to his feet.

"Just be careful!" Evan replied. "Good luck!"

Merlin nodded before running to the stables, only to run head first into Lancelot.

"Lancelot! What are you doing here?" Merlin asked.

"It is my duty to help Arthur, knight or not," Lancelot replied as he saddled his horse.

"I'm coming too," Merlin declared.

"No," Lancelot replied instantly. "It's too dangerous; I don't want you to get-"

"Despite what _everyone_ thinks I'm not a helpless little kid!" Merlin snapped. "And besides, Arthur needs all the help he can get."

Lancelot eyed Merlin for a minute before relenting. The two urged their mounts on through the city, people being forced to dive out of the way of the galloping horses and their riders. Lancelot, ironically, carried a lance with which he intended to face the griffin.

They slowed when they reached the forest, listening for any sound that would alert them as to where the knights were.

A few minutes later, Lancelot held out his hand making Merlin stop abruptly. For a minute the forest was silent, and then he heard it: the griffin's scream. Then came screams of agony. Lancelot and Merlin urged their horses towards the sound. Very quickly the forest became eerily quiet, making Merlin's spine tingle with fear.

"Look!" Lancelot shouted, pointing ahead. Merlin saw a felled knight lying completely still on the forest floor. Merlin jumped off his horse and ran to the knight, and was horrified to find him unresponsive, with no pulse. He ran to the next knight and found he'd suffered the same fate. Merlin's chest clenched painfully in fear for Arthur as knight after knight was found dead. He spotted Arthur, terrifyingly still. Merlin ran over to him and collapsed fell to his knees, letting out a shaky breath when he found Arthur was indeed alive.

"He's alive!" Merlin exclaimed, just as another screech filled the air. He and Lancelot turned to see the griffin walk towards them, murder in its eyes. Lancelot was on his horse, galloping in the opposite direction, getting ready to charge. _It's now or never_ Merlin thought to himself. He took a deep breath as Lancelot charged.

_"Bregdan anweald gfeluec." _

Nothing happened. _"Bregdan anweald gfeluec!" _he repeated, more loudly this time. Again, nothing.

Lancelot was getting closer and closer to the griffin and nothing was working. Putting every last ounce of his will into it Merlin shouted, _"Bregdan anweald gfeluec!" _ Blue flames erupted from the lance just as Lancelot was about to strike the griffin. The lance struck the griffin in the heart and it shrieked in agony before crashing to the ground.

Merlin started laughing from relief; the griffin was dead!

Arthur groaned and sat up slowly.

"Merlin what-?" 

"Lancelot killed the griffin!" Merlin exclaimed, grinning like an idiot.

"But I thought it had to be killed with-"

"Lancelot killed the griffin," Merlin repeated firmly, praying Arthur would get the message.

"Right, _Lancelot_ killed it," Arthur repeated, looking pointedly at Merlin. Merlin knew that look; it was the '_we're going to talk about this later'_ look.

"I have to go before Uther realizes I'm gone," Merlin whispered before standing up and running back to his horse. He made it back to Camelot quickly, returning the horse to the stables before running over to his window.

"Evan, are you there?" Merlin called up as loudly as he dared. In response, he saw the crude rope they'd made tumble down from his windowsill. Merlin easily grabbed the rope but struggled for a few minutes to actually climb it. Once he was close enough, Evan reached over and helped pull him back inside.

"Does anyone know I'm gone?" Merlin asked worriedly.

Gaius came by but I managed to send him off before he saw you where gone," Evan reassured.

"And he believed you?" Merlin asked slowly.

"He didn't say anything" Evan replied

"Good," Merlin sighed. They quickly put his room back together, hiding any sighs then he had snuck out.

"What happened?" Evan asked eagerly once they'd finished.

"Lancelot killed it," Merlin grinned.

"They'll _have _to restore his knighthood!" Evan exclaimed.

"I hope so," Merlin agreed.

Just then a guard entered. "Arthur has returned!" he proclaimed.

"Was he successful?" Merlin asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"I'm not sure," the guard admitted.

"Can I go see him?" Merlin asked.

"He's in the throne room," the guard replied, stepping back and allowing Merlin to pass.

They hurried through the castle to the throne room and walking in just as Arthur was saying, "…Lancelot killed the griffin! He _has_ proven himself!"

"Wait outside," Uther ordered. "All of you," he added when he saw Merlin

"But-" Merlin protested.

"Now!" Uther snapped. Merlin and Lancelot bowed before stepping outside, the guards slamming the doors behind them.

"They will restore your knight hood; they have to," Merlin assured Lancelot. "_Y__ou_ killed the griffin!"

"But I didn't," Lancelot whispered.

"Yes you did," Merlin insisted.

"No, you did," Lancelot argued, locking eyes with Merlin.

"What?" Merlin asked, trying to stay calm.

"_Bregdan anweald_?" Lancelot asked, Merlin's eyes widening. "I heard you, I saw you. Don't worry; your secret's safe with me, but I cannot take credit for what I did not do. There will be no more lies, no more deceit."

"Thank you," Merlin said sincerely. "But what are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can do," Lancelot replied, walking over to the doors and throwing them open. Guards immediately grabbed him and started to drag him out.

"I need to speak!" Lancelot exclaimed, trying to break free. Merlin stood in the doorway watching.

"Wait," Uther ordered. "I will hear what he has to say."

The guards let go of Lancelot reluctantly. "Forgive me, Sire, I've come to bid you farewell," Lancelot informed them.

"What is this Lancelot?" Arthur asked, shaking his head.

"I lied to you both and now there is conflict between you," Lancelot explained. "I cannot bear that burden, as you should not bear mine. I must start again, far away from here, and maybe fate will grant me another chance to prove myself a worthy knight of Camelot."

"But Lancelot, you've already proved that to us," Arthur assured.

"But I must prove that to myself," Lancelot replied. "Your highness, Prince Arthur." Lancelot bowed and turned to leave.

Merlin saw Uther's thoughtful expression and Arthur's pained one before he turned to look at Lancelot. Merlin wanted to beg him to stay, but before he could find any words to say, Lancelot was gone.

* * *

><p><p>

The next morning, Merlin watched through his window as Lancelot galloped away on his horse.

"Merlin?" Evan asked gently, breaking Merlin's intense gaze.

"Yes?" Merlin asked.

"Lancelot?" Evan prompted.

"He was one of the bravest men Camelot has ever seen," Merlin muttered, "and Uther still sent him away."

"Maybe one day, when Arthur is King, things will be different" Evan began. "Maybe then, noble or not, any man can earn the right to become a knight."

"I hope so," Merlin agreed.

"He will come back someday," Evan assured him. "I know it. There's just… it's like he was meant to come back."

"Until then, Sir Lancelot," Merlin whispered as his friend disappeared into the forest.

* * *

><p><p>

Uther watched Lancelot's retreating figure thoughtfully. _Arthur_ knows _Merlin killed the griffin, so why did he insist that Lancelot was the one to kill it?_ He wondered. _What could he possibly have done to make them care so much?_ Uther shook his head and turned to face Gaius.

"Merlin and Arthur are both upset with you," Gaius informed him.

"About Lancelot?" Uther asked. Gaius nodded his head in confirmation. Uther frowned. "Why?"

"He willingly risked his life to save Arthur's" Gaius explained. "And he saved Merlin's life, even though he was a complete stranger at the time."

"They both really feel strongly about this?" Uther asked.

"Very," Gaius confirmed. Uther stared ahead thinking for a while. Gaius waited patiently while the King thought. Deep down, Gaius felt that Merlin deserved to know that Uther knew of his magic; but at the same time Gaius feared Uther would become even more protective of Merlin when that happened. There was just no good solution. Gaius stood up a little straighter when Uther spoke again.

"Well… Should he ever return to Camelot, Lancelot will be welcomed… Perhaps I shall grant him a chance to become a knight."

**End Notes**

** Did anyone expect that? So, we finished that; next up is "The Remedy to Cure all Ills". I've been thinking, and I know it's kind of far off but I've realized I don't think there is a way for me to really incorporate 'The Witchfinder' without it making absolutely no sense. If anyone has any idea, I'm all ears, but for now I plan on getting rid of that episode. I just thought I'd warn you in case someone is like: 'OMG I MUST have that episode!' Any how, let me know what you thought!**


	26. Chapter 26

** A/N**

** Sorry about not responding to your reviews, for some reason the site won't let me respond, I keep getting a weird error… anyways, hope you enjoy this and the liberties I took on some changes **

Merlin had hoped that during the days after the griffin attacks Uther would be a little more willing to let him go out. No such luck. Over the next several weeks if he had so much as a sniffle Merlin was sent to his room; forced to stay there for days on end. Gaius tried to convince Uther to be a little more lax, but nothing worked. The only company he regularly kept was Evan; Arthur and Gwen usually being too busy with their respective duties.

"Merlin, would you by any chance know of any… Secret admirers?" Evan asked as he came in one morning.

"No, why?" Merlin asked lowering his book.

"Well, someone's sent you flowers," Evan explained.

"Flowers?" Merlin's eyebrows rose.

"Quiet a large bouquet of them actually," Evan confirmed appearing with a large armload of white flowers.

Merlin stared at the bundle for a minute before asking, "Is there a note or something?" 

"None," Evan replied.

"Probably Arthur's idea of a joke," Merlin sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Or maybe he thought you'd like them?" Evan suggested reluctantly.

"This is _Arthur _we're talking about here."

"What about Morgana?" Evan suggested.

"Why would _she_ send my _anything_?" Merlin asked.

"Just throwing out ideas, sire," Evan replied, shrugging. Merlin shook his head.

Merlin didn't get a chance to talk to anyone about the flowers; Arthur was out on patrols all day and Gwen was running errands for Morgana, and Merlin _refused_ to even let Evan ask her about it. He wouldn't hear the end of it if he did.

Later that night Evan went around putting out the candles throughout the room.

"See you in the morning," he said cheerfully before leaving Merlin alone in his chambers.

"Goodnight," Merlin replied, crawling into bed and falling instantly into peaceful bliss.

* * *

><p><p>

"His body seems to have closed down…" Gaius muttered lifting one of Merlin's eyelids.

"Why?" Uther demanded. "You don't know what's wrong, do you? Nothing you've tried has worked. It's been two days, what do you know?"

"I fear that it may be an inflammation of the brain," Gaius explained, "possibly caused by an infection."

"Can you cure him?" Uther demanded.

"I'll do my best sire" Gaius promised. He slowly exited Merlin's room only to be stopped by Evan.

"Is he any better?" the servant asked worriedly.

"I'm afraid not," Gaius replied sadly. Evan visibly slumped. Slowly, he turned, walking into Merlin's room.

Arthur approached Gaius slowly before asking, "Is there anything that can be done?"

Gaius sighed.

"He's as good as dead, Arthur," Gaius admitted reluctantly.

"Can't you… you know... _help_?" Arthur asked, looking pointedly as Gaius.

"If you mean magic," Gaius hissed, "that would cause more harm then good, if you recall the last time_ someone_ used magic to help someone it nearly got _someone_ killed."

Arthur sighed. "I know." But in reality Arthur didn't understand. If there was a simple way to help Merlin, why not use it, in some way's Arthur wanted to hate Gaius for not helping Merlin when he obviously could, but at the same time Arthur did remember Gwen nearly getting executed for it.

"There is a way to save him; I just need time to figure it out."

* * *

><p><p>

Arthur angrily strode through the halls towards the courtyard. A Guard had come by saying a man kept insisting on seeing the king, but Uther was too busy and the man refused to leave. Eventually Arthur decided to go and see what this man wanted to say so badly.

When he reached the courtyard he saw a man in a brown robe with a large scar that covered half of his face.

"What's your business here?" Arthur asked, trying to keep his composure.

"My name is Edwin, and I have a remedy to cure all ills," the man informed him.

"Is that so?" Arthur asked suspiciously. How could someone possibly have a remedy for _everything_?

"I beg an audience with the king," Edwin, continued bowing deeply.

"We already have a court physician," Arthur dismissed and turned away from him. Gaius new what he was doing, he'd figure out _something_ right?

"I hear the king's ward, Merlin, has fallen gravely ill," Edwin called after Arthur, making him freeze in his tracks.

"That is none of your concern," Arthur snapped. How did so many people know about this? They were trying to keep it quiet so panic didn't spread, but that obviously wasn't working.

"I may be able to help," Edwin persisted calmly, unfazed by Arthur's harsh tone.

"Our physician has the matter taken care of," Arthur replied stiffly something about this man felt off, and Arthur really didn't want to put his little brothers life in his hands. Never mind they weren't _really_ brothers, but they might as well be.

Edwin bowed again as Arthur turned to leave and calmly added, "I'll be at the inn if you change your mind."

Arthur nodded and continued on his way. He trusted Gaius, he would figure this out, he hadn't failed before, why would he now?

* * *

><p><p>

Gaius inspected Merlin carefully for several tense minutes.

"I cannot preserve his life for much longer… he has hours maybe less…" the physician said sadly.

"We cannot just let him die!" Arthur exclaimed angrily. He'd trusted Gaius; he'd said he'd be able to save Merlin! Why couldn't he?

"Arthur please," Uther sighed.

"Arthur's right!" Morgana pleaded. "There must be _something_."

"There's a man who came to the castle yesterday, and claims he can cure him…"

"That's ridiculous, he hasn't even seen him," Uther sighed.

"He claims to have a remedy to cure all ills" Arthur clarified. Gaius narrowed his eyes and said,

"That's impossible."

"If there's even the slightest chance…" Morgana began but Gaius cut her off,

"He's probably just looking for a quick shilling."

"I don't _care!_" Arthur exclaimed. "What have we got to lose? Merlin is _dying_. If there is one in a million chance of this man being able to save him why not take it?" Arthur didn't care anymore about how suspicious he'd seemed, all he could think about was the fact that Merlin was _dying_ and there was a chance someone could help. Deep down Arthur knew his irrationality could cause trouble again, but when it came to Merlin he just didn't care.

"Gaius is right…" Uther said regretfully.

"Fine! Give him his shilling!" Morgana exclaimed. "Merlin will die anyway; why not hear him out?" Arthur silently cheered Morgana on, as much as she didn't like Merlin, she didn't like seeing someone die.

"I can't just sit here and watch him die," Arthur added, glaring at Uther.

The King watched the two of them for a minute before relenting.

"Alright. Send for him."

* * *

><p><p>

Uther burst into the throne room, Morgana and Arthur hot on his heels. Edwin got down on one knee, bowing his head and held up a scroll for Uther to take. The King snatched it out of his hands and read it slowly

"Edwin Muirden, Sire, physician and humble servant," Edwin introduced himself.

"Welcome to Camelot," Uther greeted stiffly as he read.

"Have we met before?" Gaius asked slowly.

"I doubt you'd forget a face like mine," Edwin replied, standing up.

Gaius eyed Edwin warily, noting that he refused to actually answer. Arthur once again felt that small spark of mistrust, but he pushed it aside for Merlin's sake.

"Do you really believe you have a cure?" Uther asked.

"There are not many illnesses that I have seen and not successfully cured, Sire," Edwin replied smoothly; "so when I heard of your wards illness I felt honor bound to come and offer my services." He turned and looked pointedly.

"You claim to have a cure for all, an antidote for anything," said Gaius skeptically.

"Yes," Edwin replied averting his gaze, "though it is not as simple as that…"

"Gaius is the court physician," Uther informed him.

"You are indeed a legend sir," Edwin admitted, bowing slightly in Gaius's direction. "I am delighted to meet you."

Arthur glanced over at Morgana who was giving Edwin a strange look. Gaius didn't look impressed either. Something about the way Edwin kept looking at the physician seemed wrong almost, further adding to Arthur's mistrust in him. Arthur tried to tell himself that it was for Merlin, but it was getting harder and harder to do so.

"I am curious to know what it is that has affected her-" Edwin began.

"An infection of the brain," Gaius supplied dryly.

"And your treatment?" Edwin asked.

"Yarrow," Gaius replied stiffly.

"Yes, yes," Edwin agreed.

"Rosemary," Gaius added, "to stimulate cerebral circulation."

"Interesting," Edwin muttered.

"Why what would _you_ suggest?" Morgana demanded, echoing Arthur's thoughts.

"No, no that's all fine, all good..." Edwin assured. "... If that is the correct diagnosis."

Gaius eyed Edwin suspiciously. Gaius had never messed up on a diagnostics, why would he start now?

"What would your diagnosis be?" Uther asked. He walked back over to Edwin, handing him the scroll.

"Well," Edwin began, "without examining the patient-"

"He should examine him," Arthur agreed. his fear for Merlin once again over ruling any sense of mistrust.

"I will need my equipment-" Edwin began.

"Yes, yes," Uther agreed, "you will have use of one of our guest chambers."

"Sire, if I may?" Evan asked stepping out of the corner he'd apparently been hiding in. Uther nodded his head and Evan continued, "I will gladly assist you in anything you need." Evan bowed deeply to Edwin, making Arthur wonder how much he really trusted the newcomer.

* * *

><p><p>

Arthur angrily paced Merlin's chambers as he waited for Edwin and Evan to return. As much as he didn't trust Edwin, Arthur admitted he was Merlin's only chance. After what felt like an eternity Evan walked in carrying an armload of boxes, Edwin following behind.

"Set my equipment over there," Edwin instructed. Evan quickly complied.

"Sire, I would be grateful if you could have everyone leave the room; I require peace and privacy to work."

"Yes, of course," Uther agreed.

Gaius hung back as everyone left.

"That includes you Gaius," Edwin informed him darkly.

"But I am eager to learn you're methods-" Gaius began, but Edwin cut him off.

"Now is not the time for instruction, I will need all my concentration."

"Gaius," Uther called sharply.

Frowning, the physician followed the others into the corridor.

* * *

><p><p>

"Good news, Sire," Edwin called. "You'll be glad to hear it was not an inflammation of the brain."

"Then what was it?" Uther asked.

"A cerebral hemorrhage," Edwin replied.

"Hemorrhage?" Gaius asked. "I don't think so..."

"I found this trace of blood in his ear," Edwin continued, holding up a small cloth with a red spot on it. As much as Arthur wanted to believe Gaius, it was hard to deny Edwin's diagnostics with the proof he had.

"How severe was it?" Uther asked.

"Severity depends on the sight and volume of the bleed. If not treated it can lead to coma and eventually death." Uther's eyes widened in horror.

"How could you miss this, Gaius?"

"I didn't see any blood," Gaius replied coldly.

"Please," Edwin began, "just be thankful you didn't administrate any more rosemary to stimulate the blood flow. Can you imagine what that might have done?"

"It may have increased the bleed," Gaius agreed darkly. Arthur's chest clenched painfully at the thought of Merlin almost dying from Gaius's mistake. As much as he mistrusted Edwin, it was hard to dislike him if he really did save Merlin's life.

"Is there a cure?" Uther asked.

"See for yourself," Edwin replied grinning. They all hurried up to Merlin's room and burst in to find him sitting up and awake.

"Merlin!" Uther exclaimed walking over to the bed. "It's a miracle!" 

"We thought we'd lost you," Arthur agreed.

"You're not getting ride of me that easily," Merlin teased weakly.

"What did Edwin give you?" Gaius asked.

"I have no idea," Merlin admitted, "but thank heaven he did." Gaius looked over at Edwin suspiciously as he left, Gaius following closely. Arthur wasn't sure what to think at the moment, Gaius had always taken care of them, but he did lie to them about Merlin, so what if he was lying about not seeing the blood to cover up? And Edwin did just save Merlin's life, but, something still just wasn't right.

**End notes**

** Yes this time I had Merlin be the one who got sick, for several reasons, one a lot of people suggested it, and two I really wanted that conversation at the beginning. Apparently Merlin whump is highly enjoyed. So what do you guys think?**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N**

** So, just to warn you, today is Thanksgiving so I may or may not be able to update today, and we might be putting up Christmas lights this weekend so I'm not sure…I'll have to see what happens, so just um case I can't update this weekend have a great weekend! **

"Name your reward," Uther declared to Edwin the next day.

"I desire nothing more than the good health of my patients," Edwin replied, smiling at Merlin who was seated next to the King. Arthur, who was leaning on Merlin's chair, reached down and gave Merlin's shoulder a squeeze.

"Surely there must be something we can do?" Uther asked.

"No," Edwin replied. "I will stay here for a few days until Merlin has recovered then I will be on my way."

Merlin couldn't help but agree with Arthur and Morgana, something about this Edwin felt wrong.

"Why don't you stay a while?" Uther asked, standing up. "You could live here; in the castle."

"No. I would feel like I was trespassing, but thank you," Edwin replied. "Besides, you already have a court physician."

"I'm sure Gaius would be glad of your help," Uther assured.

To Merlin, it felt like Uther was _trying_ to replace Gaius, and he didn't like it. Despite his lying to Merlin for all those years, Gaius had always acted in Merlin's best interest, but something about Edwin put him off.

"It is a kind offer but-" Edwin began but Uther cut him off.

"Think about it," the King insisted, making Merlin wonder if Uther really was trying to subtly get rid of Gaius. "Dine with me later and give me your decision."

"To dine with your majesty would be a reward in itself," Edwin replied, bowing deeply, almost mockingly.

Later, Merlin was sitting in his room with Morgana and Arthur. He was trying to figure out what had happened the two days he was unconscious.

"So he just _knew_ I was sick?" Merlin asked.

"Yes," Arthur replied stiffly.

"And that didn't bother you _at all_?" Merlin demanded.

"I was a little distracted by the fact that you were _dying_!" Arthur snapped.

Merlin sighed. That was Arthur's problem; he didn't think before he acted. For him it was act first then ask questions later.

"Why was he glaring at Gaius like that?" Morgana asked. "He claims he's never met Gaius but the way he looks at him it's like… like he's the enemy."

"What can we do?" Arthur asked. "Father adores him now."

Morgana rolled her eyes, and then noticed the bouquet of flowers stuffed in the corner and started to ask,

"Merlin what-" She was interrupted by Evan loudly entering the room.

"I'm sorry I took so long… oh I'm sorry to interrupt…" Evan spluttered as he took in the room's occupants.

"It's fine Evan," Merlin assured, smiling. He got off of the bed so Evan could change the sheets, and noticed how distracted his servant seemed. "Is something wrong Evan?"

"Why would anything be wrong?" Evan asked, trying to force a smile.

"Evan, I'm your friend; you _can_ tell me," Merlin assured, his mind whirling. Evan _never_ hesitated to tell him when something was on his mind; what could he have seen to make him start?

"Well… it's about Edwin…" Evan began reluctantly.

"Did you see him do something?" Arthur asked.

"I didn't mean to I swear!" Evan exclaimed, his eyes widening. "I was just returning some supplies and he didn't notice me come in-"

"Don't worry; you won't get in trouble. Right, Arthur?" Merlin asked, looking pointedly at the Prince.

"Of course not," Arthur assured. "What did you see?"

"Well… he was holding this box and… there was something moving around inside I could _hear_ it…"

"And?" Arthur asked, boredom growing in his voice. Arthur really could be a jerk sometimes.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "What did he do?" he asked encouragingly. 

"I think he's using magic," Evan admitted.

"Why?" Arthur asked, perking up.

Why did evil magic users always come to Camelot? Merlin was sick of all the trouble that seemed to gravitate towards Camelot.

"He said some strange words and the sounds from the box… stopped," Evan explained.

"That's strange," Merlin agreed. "anything else?" 

"No, he left the room and I had to move before he saw me…" Evan explained guiltily.

"It's fine, what you told us will help. Thank you," Merlin thanked before starting to leave the room.

"You're not getting involved because of me, are you?" Evan asked horrified.

"We think there's something... off about him," Merlin explained, "and what you told me only proves it further."

Merlin appreciated Evan's concern, he really did, but he could take care of himself; despite when everyone thought.

"Just… be careful. Please," Evan begged.

"I will. Don't worry," Merlin assured, flashing a grin at Evan who returned it weakly.

* * *

><p><p>

Merlin knocked loudly on Edwin's door.

"Edwin? Are you there?" he called.

When he got no response Merlin looked around to make sure no one was watching and slipped inside. He froze for a moment at the sight of Edwin's equipment. Merlin recognized some alchemy tools from one of Gaius's books. He walked over to one of the tables and saw a book open to a page filled with words from the Old Religion. Next to the book he saw a box. He assumed that was the box Evan had been talking about.

_ Maybe Edwin _is_ using dark magic,_ Merlin thought to himself. He opened the lid and frowned when he saw the box was filled with beetles that where completely still. Assuming they were dead, Merlin shut the box to look at the words on the lid again and whispered them to himself, trying to figure out what they meant. A strange scurrying sound emerged from the box.

Merlin pressed his ear against the box and was started to find that the sound was coming from _inside_ the box. He opened the lid again slowly and nearly dropped the box when he found that the beetles were now moving.

Merlin shut the box, startled, and whipped around knocking over a small vase in the process.

"Very good."

Edwin stood in the doorway, smiling at him. Merlin hesitantly held out the box to Edwin who lifted it from his hands. Edwin opened the lid, held his hand over the box and whispered something in the language of the Old Religion, causing the beetles to go still again.

"You have magic," Edwin stated, startling Merlin.

"It wasn't me; I didn't do anything," Merlin said hurriedly, his mind whirling. _How did Edwin find out? Would he tell Uther?_

"Then how did you bring them to life?" Edwin asked gently. "Only magic can do that. These little angels are what saved your life."

"What?" Merlin asked, staring at the strange creatures. How could they be angels? They looked more like little monsters.

"They repaired the damage to your brain, saving your life," Edwin explained. Merlin could only stare as Edwin shut the box, his face expressionless.

"Magic can be a force for good," Edwin continued.

"I know," Merlin replied automatically.

"Then why do you fear it?" Edwin asked. _I don't fear magic;_ Merlin thought silently, _I fear Uther hating me for it_. But kept his mouth shut.

Why did Edwin care? Why was he talking to Merlin about this?

After a minute Merlin said slowly, "Uther… has twisted magic… almost all magic is dark magic to him…"

"Should I have just _let_ you die?" Edwin asked. "Because of magic, you're here right now."

"I know-" Merlin assured and Edwin pushed on.

"People like us, we have a gift. Do you think we shouldn't use our gift to make this world a better place?" Edwin locked eyes with Merlin who was thinking hard.

Magic was good, deep down Uther knew that, and if he was using magic for good then what harm was done. But still, something seemed off about Edwin.

"Perhaps..." Merlin replied slowly, scooting over to the table and starting to scoop up the blue powder that had spilled out of the black vase he had knocked over earlier.

"Don't waste your time," Edwin told him. Merlin froze as Edwin whispered a spell, causing the power to rise in the air swirling around almost like a tornado before settling back into the vase.

Merlin grinned as Edwin continued, "Why waste a talent like that? I can teach you, you know."

Merlin concentrated on the vase and whispered a spell of his own causing the vase to rise as if pulled by an invisible hand and dump its contents into a small wooden bowl. Not quite as impressive as Edwin's show, but it was still something.

"What do you use this for?" Edwin asked after a moment's silence.

"Gaius doesn't allow me to," Merlin replied automatically.

"So Uther doesn't know about your gift?" Edwin asked, surprised.

Merlin mentally slapped himself for saying something so stupid.

"No," Merlin replied, fearful again for what Edwin might do.

"A gift like yours should be nurtured; practiced; enjoyed," Edwin whispered, "not snuffed out and hidden away. You need someone to help you, to encourage you."

"Perhaps," Merlin agreed, starting to wonder what had made him mistrust Edwin so much. He did save Merlin's life, and he had _magic._

"Imagine what we could achieve if we shared our knowledge." Edwin's tone was dark and he looked at Merlin with an equally dark look.

Suddenly Merlin was struck by that feeling of mistrust again. Something about Edwin felt off, untrustworthy; and the fact that he could manipulate people so easily made Merlin wary again.

"I should be getting back," Merlin excused himself.

"Of course," Edwin replied. "You must promise to keep our secret safe."

"Of course," Merlin assured, still uncertain as to what exactly he thought of Edwin.

"People like you and I, we must look after each other," Edwin continued gently.

Merlin turned and left the room, his mind in a whirlwind.

**End Notes**

** Merlin, Merlin, how easily tricked. Will he go talk to Arthur or will he stay quiet? Let me know what you thought!**


	28. Chapter 28

"I have been through the medical records with a fine-tooth comb sire," Edwin informed Uther, "and… I regret to inform you that my finders were not… satisfactory."

"What do you mean?" Uther asked. Merlin eyed Edwin uneasily, a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Please, understand; Gaius is a great man, thorough, dedicated but his methods are outdated, he's failed to keep up with the latest developments. This has led to a number of errors" Edwin admitted.

Out of the corner of his eye Merlin noticed a look of pain cross Morgana's features. She didn't like where this was going either then.

"Gaius has served me well for twenty-five years-" Uther informed Edwin.

Merlin wanted to speak up, but he knew it would only make things worse for Gaius if he angered Uther.

"-And no one can blame him for the infirmity those years have brought. Age can be a curse as well as a blessing," Edwin explained.

Merlin wanted to scream at him, tell him Gaius wasn't becoming forgetful with age. Something really wasn't right, but Merlin couldn't figure out what exactly.

"Maybe it's time to lighten his burden," Uther decided. Merlin locked eyes with Arthur who looked just as worried as he did. "Have you given any more thought to my offer?"

"I have," Edwin informed Uther.

"Allow me time to do the same."

Edwin bowed deeply in reply.

Merlin couldn't help but think that Edwin _planned_ for this to happen, but he couldn't be sure. Once Edwin was gone he couldn't take it anymore. Uther stood up to leave and Merlin approached him.

"Uther please, don't do this."

"You heard him," Uther said. "Gaius is old. He makes mistakes.

"He's cared for me since before I can even remember!" Merlin exclaimed.

"He's _never_ made a mistake before; you cannot cast him out…" Morgana added, standing next to Merlin.

"Merlin, you would have _died_ if you where left to his care," Uther growled looking straight at Merlin, "and I cannot bear the thought of that."

"I know but-" Morgana began but Uther cut her off.

"I cannot risk something like this happening again." Uther walked away, ending the conversation.

Morgana and Merlin locked eyes, both thinking the same thing, Uther was going to get rid of Gaius.

* * *

><p>"So…. He's leaving?" Merlin asked slowly. Arthur nodded his head, a pained look on his face.<p>

"I can't believe he's doing this," Morgana breathed, "he made one mistake and it's like… like he's useless to Uther now."

"It's not fair," Merlin muttered angrily. "He can't do this!"

Merlin's chest tightened painfully at the thought of his mentor, his _friend_ being forced to leave like this. It felt _wrong_. Gaius had made many mistakes, but everyone made mistakes! And all the mistakes he'd made, he'd made only because he was doing what he thought was for the best.

"He can and he is," Arthur replied sadly. Merlin stood up, shaking his head.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

"I have to talk to Gaius!" Merlin exclaimed, disappearing through the door. Merlin ran to Gaius's chambers, ignoring the angry shouts of the servants who had to dive out of his way. Merlin burst into Gaius's chambers.

"I heard what happened… Uther can't do this!"

"Merlin, he already has," Gaius informed him sadly, continuing to pack his things away.

"Please, don't go," Merlin begged.

"My time here… is over."

Merlin shook his head; his chest tightening, if possible, even more.

"No, you belong here… there's so much I need to learn from you," Merlin begged, fighting back tears.

"No, I don't," Gaius informed Merlin, sounding just as pained as Merlin.

"Then… I'll go with you!" Merlin exclaimed stubbornly.

"Merlin, you and I both know Uther would never allow it," Gaius told Merlin gently.

"I don't care," Merlin replied stubbornly.

"Merlin, you belong here with Arthur. It is your destiny," Gaius told him gently.

Merlin hated this; he couldn't just stand by and do nothing!

"Maybe I can convince Edwin to let you two work together-" Merlin began desperately.

"Merlin, no," Gaius replied gently. "My time here is done… just please, stay here and do as Edwin says."

"I won't let this happen," Merlin whispered before turning and leaving, his throat tight. Merlin was sick of goodbyes, he hated always watching his friends just leave him behind.

He found Arthur in the training ground, angrily beating a dummy.

"Why would Uther just fire Gaius for making one mistake?" Merlin asked exasperatedly.

"It wasn't… just one mistake," Arthur informed Merlin, his voice pained.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"Edwin looked over Gaius's work… it was riddled with errors," Arthur explained.

"That's nonsense!" Merlin exclaimed, furious; Gaius was the best physician in the kingdom, few died while under Gaius's care. He didn't make mistakes!

"Merlin none of us want to see him go-" Arthur began, trying to sooth him, but Merlin wouldn't have it.

"No, you want to see Gaius leave-"

"Do you think I like this?" Arthur demanded. "I know… Edwin is up to something..."

"What?" Merlin asked.

"Gaius… wanted to say something but kept looking at Edwin like… Like he was afraid."

"Then do something," Merlin said.

"Uther has made his decision," Arthur explained. Merlin glared at Arthur

heatedly before he turned and stormed off, infuriated.

* * *

><p>Later that night Merlin angrily paced his room, Evan watching him wearily.<p>

"I can't believe that _prat _is just going to sit by and let Gaius get thrown out…" Merlin ranted. "… You believe me, right?"

"Edwin is evil," Evan agreed quietly. "I… he said there was blood in your ear but… there was no blood. He put it there…"

"And Gaius is still leaving?" Merlin exclaimed. "Why don't people _ever_ listen to me?" Merlin threw his hands up in the air and flung himself onto his bed. "They look at me… and see some helpless kid…"

"You're not helpless," Evan informed Merlin. Merlin sat up and flashed a weak grin at him just as Arthur burst in.

"My father has gotten the same illness you had! Find Edwin!"

Merlin nodded his head and Arthur ran back down the corridor.

"Evan, find Morgana and see if she knows where he might be," said Merlin.

Evan nodded his head and ran in the same direction Arthur went, Merlin going the opposite direction. Merlin decided to try Edwin's chambers first. He burst in to find Edwin and Gaius who was surrounded by a wall of fire.

"What are you doing?" Merlin shouted.

"He's trying to kill the king!" Gaius exclaimed. "I couldn't let him!"

"Join me, Merlin," Edwin hissed. "Together we can rule Camelot!"

"No, I would never betray Arthur or Uther," Merlin replied angrily. He'd been right! Edwin _was_ evil.

"Your loss, Merlin," Edwin replied.

He looked over at a display holding an axe. With a flick of his hand the axe went flying towards across the room, straight at Merlin.

"MERLIN!" Arthur burst into the room, shouting.

Time slowed down around Merlin and his eyes flashed gold, halting the axe and sending it flying towards Edwin. The weapon embedded itself deeply in Edwin's chest, and he crumpled to the floor unmoving. The fires around Gaius faded away.

"Thank you," Gaius whispered.

Merlin nodded his head and ran to the table, looking for the box.

"Merlin what are you doing?" Gaius asked as Merlin picked up the box and flicked it open.

"Uther's sick with the same thing I had. Edwin said he used these to save my life, maybe we can use them for Uther!" Merlin knew it was a long shot but he _had_ to try. Uther was the only father he'd ever really had, and he refused to just let him die.

"Elanthia beetles?" Gaius gasped.

"You've seen these before?" Merlin asked.

"They're magic; they can be enchanted to go into the brain and feed on it until they've devoured the person's very soul," Gaius explained.

"How can we save me father?" Arthur demanded.

"We must go to him!" Gaius exclaimed, running off. Merlin and Arthur were hot on his heels.

"How are we supposed to get the beetle out before it kills him?" Arthur asked frantically, staring at a frighteningly still Uther.

"Only magic can get it out," Gaius replied, looking pointedly at Merlin.

"I can't use magic on Uther! He'd kill me!" Merlin exclaimed, terrified; even if it _was_ to save Uther's life, he'd see it as dark magic.

"Please, Merlin, we don't have a choice-" Gaius began but Merlin cut him off.

"Gaius!"

"There are times when it is necessary," Gaius admitted.

"Please Merlin," Arthur begged.

Merlin took a deep breath and made his decision. He would do it. For Arthur.

Merlin set the box of the beetles next to Uther, thinking hard. He placed his hands around the King's head and began to recite a spell, trying and get the beetle out. Merlin focused all of his magic on his task. He shut his eyes as he felt the magic take effect.

"What's happening?" Arthur asked worriedly.

After a few more seconds, Merlin felt the bug crawl onto his hand. He stepped away from Uther and placed the bug back in the box. A huge grin erupted on Arthur's face.

"You did it!" Arthur shouted, flinging his arms around Merlin. "You saved him!"

"Has anyone told you you're a genius?" Gaius asked grinning.

"You certainly haven't," Merlin replied, grinning.

* * *

><p>The next day, Arthur, Morgana, Merlin and Uther all stood in the throne room as Uther declared,<p>

"I, my family, and my kingdom are deeply indebted to you Gaius. So, in honor of this, not only do I reinstate you as court physician, but hence forth you are a free man of Camelot." Uther presented Gaius with a scroll and the entire hall burst into applause as Gaius took it, bowing deeply.

* * *

><p>"Merlin… I feel bad for taking the credit. <em>Y<em>_ou_ saved the king, not I," Gaius informed Merlin later.

"Well for once I'm glad to give the credit to someone else," Merlin replied. "I mean, you risked you life to come back and help Uther and I…"

"No, I didn't," Gaius replied.

"But you-" Merlin protested, but Gaius cut him off,

"No Merlin, _you_ saved the King and me, not me. I'm starting to think you are a genius." Merlin grinned.

"Really?"

"Maybe… almost… someday," Gaius corrected, grinning.

Merlin laughed and decided he really didn't mind Gaius getting the credit. Gaius _belonged_ in Camelot. Merlin wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Ok so next the gates of Avalon. How will things go differently? Sadly I must admit, Merlin probably won't be going in the stocks as much… but there might be some Merlin whump coming on *hint hint* let me know what you thought!**


	29. Chapter 29

Merlin watched as Arthur expertly raised his crossbow and aimed it at a deer grazing nearby.

It had taken quite a bit of convincing, but eventually Uther had allowed Merlin to accompany Arthur on the hunting trip. As much as Merlin _hated_ hunting, it was much better than being locked up in the castle.

Arthur raised the bow and just as he was about to shoot, the deer bolted. Arthur cursed loudly then froze.

"What?" Merlin asked, standing up.

"Shh," Arthur ordered then Merlin heard it, it was a woman screaming for help. Arthur unsheathed his sword and ran off in the direction of the sound, Merlin hot on his heels. They ran into the clearing and found a group of bandits attacking a young woman and an older man. Arthur immediately charged at the bandit who held a sword against the man's chest and knocked him to the ground before going after the one who was trying to steal the woman's purse.

The man Arthur had knocked over stood and lifted his sword, preparing to run Arthur through.

Merlin looked around frantically. He spotted a branch directly over the man's head and muttered a spell, causing the branch to fall onto Arthur's attacker, knocking him unconscious. A few seconds later, Arthur ran his sword through the second man. The final bandit ran off into the woods at the sight of Arthur's heated stare.

Arthur turned to look at Merlin and noticed the fallen man. He locked eyes with Merlin.

"What a stroke of luck."

Merlin knew that look; it meant Arthur was actually pleased with something his friend had done.

Arthur turned to the man and the woman.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked. "Did they hurt you?"

The woman turned to look at Arthur. "No, thanks to you."

She pulled off her hood, flashing a gentle smile. Arthur stared at her as she continued, "I'm Sofia, and this if my father."

Dazed, Arthur took her hand. "Arthur Pendragon, at your service."

Merlin smirked as Arthur bent over and kissed her hand.

"Arthur's in love," Merlin whispered to Arthur when Sofia and her father were far enough away.

"At least I didn't get flowers from some random vengeful man_,_" Arthur mocked.

"You and I both know Edwin sent those so I would get sick from the bug an-"

Merlin stopped, sighing in annoyance when he realized Arthur was paying more attention to Sofia then him. Arthur had fallen for her hard.

* * *

><p>"My name if Aulfric, heir to Tír-Mòr. This is my daughter, Sofia," Aulfric informed Uther.<p>

"You're a long way from home. What brings you to Camelot?" Uther asked. Merlin knew this was all formality, Uther _always_ allowed nobility to stay in the castle, and Merlin really hated it. What about common people who actually needed help? Merlin shook the thoughts away as Aulfric continued,

"Our village was ransacked by raiders and we barely escaped with the few possessions we could carry."

Merlin felt a twinge of pity for them; that couldn't have been easy.

"These are dangerous times," Uther agreed. "What will you do now?"

"We are traveling west to Caerleon where we have family and hope to begin a new life," Aulfric replied.

"You will stay here awhile. Break your journey. A noble family like yours is always welcome in Camelot," Uther informed them.

Aulfric and Sofia nodded deeply, and Merlin suppressed a smirk. He knew someone who was very happy with these arrangements. He grinned at Arthur as a servant lead Aulfric and Sofia away, but Arthur wasn't paying attention to him; once again all his attention was on Sofia.

Merlin followed Arthur into his chambers, Evan hot on their heels.

"See to it that she gets a nice room," Arthur told Evan.

"The rooms next door are open," Merlin informed Evan grinning. Arthur glared at Merlin.

"Shut up _Mer_lin," he snapped. "My intentions towards Sofia are honorable."

Most servants would be slightly put off by their banter, but Evan was so used to it that he wasn't affected in the slightest. That was one of the many reason's Arthur actually liked Evan; he wasn't some bootlicker. And he was nice to Merlin, which always gave someone bonus points in Arthur's book.

"If your intentions are honorable then what's the harm in her being in the room next to yours?" Merlin asked smugly

"You're right, Merlin," Arthur agreed. "Evan can you put them in the room next to mine?" Evan bowed before leaving to do as Arthur had asked.

"Thank you," Arthur said after a minute's silence.

"For what?" Merlin asked.

"For helping with that bandit. I'm not stupid, Merlin; that tree branch didn't fall on its own."

Merlin flashed a grin that Arthur returned just as Morgana burst in, Evan chasing after her.

"Merlin, I need to speak with you immediately," Morgana snapped.

"Ok…" Merlin agreed, following her outside.

Merlin couldn't help but wonder what had her so worried that she would go to him of all people.

"She can't stay here," Morgana whispered frantically.

"What? Why not?" Merlin asked. He couldn't think of anything that could make Sofia unlikeable, she seemed perfectly nice. But then again, didn't most villains?

"I just…she just can't," Morgana stammered.

"Uther already said they could… Morgana what's wrong?" Merlin asked.

Morgana wouldn't look at him as she said,

"Nothing… Thank you."

She walked away quickly, and Merlin had the sinking feeling that something was horribly wrong with Camelot's newest guests.

* * *

><p>The next morning Arthur paced his room, refusing to look at Merlin. He <em>knew<em> that Arthur wanted something, and he was pretty sure he knew what.

"Arthur, what is it? I've known you my whole life, so you might as well just spit it out," said Merlin.

Arthur smirked and chuckled slightly.

"Nothing gets past you… I promised Sofia I'd take her riding but I'm supposed to be on patrol with my father today…."

"You want me to lie to Uther?" Merlin guessed. Merlin was sure Arthur had completely lost it.

"You'd really be doing me a favor," Arthur encouraged.

"You know I can't lie to save my life!" Merlin exclaimed. Whenever he did he would start to sweat, his vision got blurry and his mind would freeze up on him.

"Please, I really want to spend more time with her…" Arthur begged.

Merlin sighed, Arthur hardly ever asked him to do things like this, and whenever he did it was for a good reason.

"You really like her don't you?" he asked.

"What's not to like?" Arthur replied.

"Alright," Merlin sighed. "Go have your fun."

"Thank you!" Arthur exclaimed, hugging Merlin tightly. "I will make this up to you!"

"You'd better!" Merlin called.

"You're the best!" Arthur added before disappearing out the door.

* * *

><p>Merlin watched Uther wearily as he finished putting on his armor. When he spotted Merlin he raised an eyebrow in surprise.<p>

"Where's Arthur?" he asked.

Merlin took a deep breath to clear his thoughts before replying slowly, "Well umm… there was a bit of a mix-up…"

"What kind of mix-up?" Uther demanded, glaring at him.

"Well umm… he uh I told him he didn't have patrol today but tomorrow and well he went out on a… hunt…" Merlin improvised.

"On a hunt?" Uther asked.

"It's not his fault I got the days mixed up…" Merlin stammered, his mind freezing.

"Arthur should be keeping track of this, he shouldn't have to rely on others to remind him," Uther snapped.

Merlin winced.

"I swear it won't happen again-"

"What if this was a time of war?" Uther bellowed.

"I swear I'll be more careful…" Merlin stammered, fear filling up inside of him under Uther's heated stare. He didn't think he'd ever seen Uther so angry at him before, ever.

"You can throw me in the stocks for a week or something just don't blame Arthur he didn't mean to-" Merlin stammered, hating how pathetic he sounded. _Why had he agreed to this?_

No, not the stocks…I have a better idea."

Uther grabbed Merlin and dragged him out of the throne room and threw him at a pair of guards.

"Put him in the dungeons for the night," Uther ordered the stunned guards. "Now!"

They dragged Merlin down to the dungeons and threw him in the first cell.

As Merlin paced angrily he thought to himself, _Arthur, this better have been worth it._

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Oh Arthur what will he say when he finds out what happened? Or will he even care…? Ok so my beta Hatstand is writing a story Right Under his Royal Nose. It's only 3 chapters long but so far it's pretty good, so if you want something to read go check that out. Thanks for being such awesome readers. **


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N**

**So updates might be a little weird from now until Monday, my beta is going to nationals and won't be able to edit as much but maybe it will work out, just thought I'd warn you. **

The next morning Merlin dragged himself back to his chambers in a foul mood. Uther had said that if something like this were to happen again there would be severe consequences.

Merlin flung the door open, startling Evan.

"Merlin! What happened to you?" Evan asked, genuinely concerned.

Merlin snorted and replied, "I had to cover for Arthur and Uther threw me in the dungeons."

Evan smiled sympathetically and ran out the door.

Merlin slowly stripped off his dirty clothes in favor of some clean ones and once he was changed Evan appeared with a tray with breakfast. Merlin flashed at him a grateful smile before diving in.

When Merlin was about halfway through his meal there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Merlin grumbled. He really wasn't in the mood for visitors, but he knew it would be bad form to send someone important off so he tried to push away his weariness and flash a weak smile. His smile promptly turned into a scowl when Arthur walked in. Merlin glared at his food.

"Merlin… I heard that you got thrown in the dungeons… I'm so sorry…"

"Yeah, sure," Merlin grumbled. Somehow he doubted Arthur was that affected by Merlin's punishment; he was too worried about Sofia to really notice what was going on with anyone else.

"No, I am," Arthur persisted.

"But you want me to cover for you again," Merlin declared, making Arthur freeze for a moment. "That's what I thought."

"I just… she is amazing," Arthur sighed.

"It went that well?" Merlin asked.

"It was great… terrific," Arthur clarified, grinning like an idiot

It was really hard to stay angry at Arthur when he was so love struck.

Merlin sighed. "Go have fun… I'll make up some good excuse as to why you can't waste ten minutes to watch your men get knighted."

Arthur grinned before hugging Merlin.

"You won't regret this!" he declared. 

"Go before I change my mind," Merlin laughed.

Merlin shook his head, still laughing. He hated how love-sick Sofia was making Arthur, but he couldn't deny how much he preferred 'affectionate Arthur' to the 'more intimidating Arthur'.

"That really made his day," Evan commented dryly.

Merlin shrugged slightly as he continued.

"Do you really want to spend another day in the dungeons?" Evan asked.

"Probably won't be the dungeons this time but… if it makes him happy."

Merlin had hoped Evan wouldn't pry, but luck wasn't on his side.

"What do you mean?" Evan asked worriedly.

"Just don't worry about it, okay," Merlin begged, hoping Evan would get the message.

Thankfully, Evan didn't say anything else as he went about cleaning Merlin's chambers, leaving Merlin to his thoughts. Merlin tried not to think about Uther's anger the day before about him 'messing up' the dates for the patrol. He didn't even want to think about what the King might do this time. Merlin had seen him flog Arthur when they where younger, when Arthur did something wrong, but Merlin himself had never been flogged for multiple reasons. The main two being Merlin was usually too sick to get into trouble, and if he did do something, Uther didn't do things that could potentially make Merlin sick again.

Uther demanded perfection from Arthur, and since Merlin had been getting sick less and less often, he now expected the same from him. Merlin knew there would be severe punishment for making Arthur miss two important things two days in a row, but he knew how important this was to Arthur, so he would do it. He was sure that there was a good possibility Uther may even go as far as to have him flogged, but a promise is a promise so he would just have to deal with it.

After Merlin finished eating he simply sat there for a few minutes, thinking hard. Evan quietly took Merlin's plates and left the room, not saying a word.

Merlin sighed, wanting to ask Evan what was bothering him, but at the same time knowing. He obviously didn't like seeing Merlin get into trouble with the King and hated that he was purposefully putting himself in Uther's line of fire.

Merlin sighed, knowing he couldn't put it off any longer and started down to the throne room. When he arrived he found Uther pacing about angrily.

"Uther…" he began, but was quickly cut off.

"If you are trying to convince me to not put your idiotic servant in the stocks then you can forget it."

"What…?" Merlin asked.

"First you, now him. Are you _trying_ to keep Arthur from performing his duties?" Uther bellowed before storming off.

Merlin stood there frozen for a minute before running out to the courtyard. Sure enough, there was Evan in the stocks being pelted with rotten fruit. He was pretty sure he even saw a few potatoes being chucked at the servant. When the crowd dissipated, probably to gather more things to throw at Evan, Merlin walked up to him quickly.

"What did you do?" Merlin demanded. 

"I covered for Arthur for you," Evan replied, shrugging as best he could with his arms and head locked up.

Merlin sighed in annoyance; leave it to Evan to step in and do something stupid.

"I promised Arthur _I_ would cover for him," Merlin sighed. "You shouldn't have got yourself involved."

"Uther was angry enough at you," Evan retorted. "And we both know how unreasonable he can be."

Ordinarily Merlin would tell Evan to not say those kind of things for fear of someone overhearing and telling Uther, but at the moment he didn't have the heart.

"You could have gotten into even worse trouble," Merlin sighed.

"No, to him I'm just an idiotic servant who can be thrown into the stocks and that is good enough punishment. But for _you_, you're the king's ward; he expects perfection, so you'd be in even more trouble for messing up then a lowly servant."

As messed up as Evan's logic seemed, Merlin couldn't deny the truth behind it. People looked up to Uther, and by extension, his family. People _expected_ servants to do stupid things, but the royal family was supposed to get everything right.

Merlin sighed. "Just don't do it again."

"No promises Sire."

* * *

><p><p>

Later that evening, Merlin watched as Evan tried, and failed, to try and clean himself up using a small wash bowl. He had tried to get Evan to just use his tub, but Evan wouldn't hear of it.

There was a knock at the door.

"Arthur I don't want to-"

"It's me, Merlin," Gaius called through the door.

Merlin could tell instantly that Gaius had something important to say.

"Why don't you take the night off?" he asked Evan. "You deserve it."

"But…" Evan protested but Merlin didn't let him finish,

"Just go, I can take care of myself."

Evan sighed in defeat before trudging to the door. Before he left Evan added, "Don't hesitate to send for me if you need _anything_."

Merlin had the sinking feeling Evan _knew_ there was something going on, but before he could ask Evan was gone.

"I'm worried that Sofia isn't what she seems," Gaius informed Merlin, startling him.

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"What do you know about seers?" Gaius asked, confusing Merlin thoroughly.

"That they can see the future…"

"They are said to have an innate ability and those who have it are born with it. Many don't even know they have it, their visions come to them through their dreams."

"But what does this have to do with Sofia?" Merlin asked his mind whirling.

"The night before she and Aulfric came, Morgana had a dream that Sofia would kill Arthur."

"Before they came to Camelot?" Merlin asked.

"I fear that Morgana's nightmares aren't just nightmares… but visions of the future…"

"Couldn't they just be dreams?" Merlin asked.

"I had hoped but… Aulfric caught me in his rooms and in a flash of anger his eyes turned red."

"Who are they?" Merlin whispered.

"It's not who they are that worries me," Gaius corrected, "but what they are."

As Merlin was walking back to his chambers he heard a hushed conversation coming from Aulfric's chambers.

"He's ready; tomorrow he'll do what we need him to," said Sofia.

"You have done well, Sofia," Aulfric replied. "Now I must go to speak with the Elders."

Merlin managed to conceal himself in an alcove just as the door opened and Aulfric strode out. Being careful not to be noticed, Merlin followed.

Aulfric walked quickly through the forest to a lake.

He stopped in front of it and shouted;

"I seek an audience with the she elders! _Not__gwithim__sar!__Dar__Libran__trim__shah_!"

The lake glowed a deep blue. White orbs burst from the surface and began darting around the lake too quickly for Merlin to get a good look at them.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold as time slowed down for him to see the creatures. They were like tiny humans with blue skin and wings much like a dragonfly's. Merlin was entranced by the way they gracefully flew across the water… he shook his head, trying to clear his mind to on focused what Aulfric was saying,

"I come before you to plead for a chance to pass back to Avalon and a life of immortality!"

One of the creatures flew down right in front of Aulfric. "Your punishment for killing another Sidhe is a mortal body, and a mortal life. You will _never_ be able to return to Avalon."

"The crime was mine, not my daughter's."

"The gates of Avalon remain closed to your daughter unless the soul of a mortal prince be offered up to them."

Merlin's mind froze as the realization sunk in; they were going to sacrifice Arthur so that Sofia could return to Avalon. His heart froze. Merlin couldn't make his body move as Aulfric laughed maniacally. He was only just able to duck out of view when Aulfric turned to head back to the castle, an evil smile plastered across his features.

**End Notes**

**Uh-oh what's gonna happen?**


	31. Chapter 31

"It's Avalon! What you saw at the lake is Avalon! It must be!" Gaius exclaimed once Merlin had hurriedly explained what he'd witnessed.

"What's-" Merlin began but Gaius cut him off.

"It's the land of immortality; mortals are supposed to only glimpse it the moment before death."

"I've seen it," Merlin breathed, remembering the moment he'd died briefly when he had been poisoned.

"Extraordinary," Gaius breathed. "What does it look like?"

"Does it matter?" Merlin demanded, shaking the thoughts away. "Aulfric and Sofia are going to sacrifice Arthur, and we don't even know who they are yet!" Sometime's Merlin was amazed by how easily Gaius was distracted.

"Yes we do." Gaius informed him.

"He had a staff," said Merlin. "It had markings something like this."

Merlin scribbled a few markings on a piece of paper.

"Based on that and what you saw at the lake, I'm almost certain we are dealing with a Sidhe."

"That doesn't sound like a good thing," Merlin muttered.

"They are masters of enchantment-" Gaius began.

"You think Arthur's been enchanted?" Merlin asked.

"Almost certainly," Gaius replied. "I fear Morgana's vision is coming true."

* * *

><p>"I requested this audience to discuss a matter of great importance," Arthur informed his father.<p>

Merlin had hoped to talk to Arthur, but he couldn't find him before he sought an audience with the King.

"Yes?" Uther asked, looking up from his papers.

"It cannot have escaped your attention that Sofia and I have grown very close…"

"Not to close, I hope," Uther replied, echoing Merlin's thoughts.

Merlin feared that Sofia had already cast the spell on Arthur. His suspicions where confirmed when Arthur continued.

"We are in love, which is why I've come here to ask your permission to marry-"

Morgana's eyes widened in horror when he said this and Uther burst out laughing. Merlin failed to see the humor in the situation until he realized Uther had no idea what Sofia was or what she planed to do. To Uther, Arthur was just a teenager madly in love with a pretty young woman.

"I assume you're joking," Uther gasped, still laughing.

"No," Arthur replied, he too failing to see the humor in the situation. "I'm going to marry her."

Merlin couldn't see her face, but judging by the glare Morgana was sending her, her expression was triumphant. Merlin could practically see Sofia smirking.

"You only met two days ago," Uther argued.

Merlin hoped that Uther would be able to talk some sense into Arthur, but deep down he knew it was futile. Arthur was enchanted, and there would be no talking him out of it.

"We're in love," Arthur replied firmly.

"In love," Uther repeated slowly. "We had no idea you where such a romantic, did we Morgana?"

"No, he's full of surprises," Morgana replied darkly.

"I'm going to marry her, and I don't care what either of you think about it," Arthur declared, taking Sofia's hand and turning to leave.

"Guards- door," Uther ordered and their way was suddenly blocked. "You've forgotten whose court you're standing in." Uther informed them, and for once Merlin was glad that the King was so stubborn and unreasonable.

"You won't stop me!" Arthur declared. "If I want to marry her, I will."

"Arrest Sofia and Aulfric," Uther ordered.

The guards immediately grabbed Sofia and her father and Uther continued; "And inform the executioner his services will be required tomorrow.

Merlin froze, his eyes widening in horror at the thought of Uther executing someone simply because Arthur had a silly crush on them, but then he realized this was just a bluff to scare Arthur into submission.

"You can't do this!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Yes I can!" Uther replied through clenched teeth. "And unless you show me some respect I will."

Maybe Uther wasn't joking. Merlin knew that if Sofia died, the spell might not, and that would destroy Arthur. But it could make Merlin's life so much easier…

Arthur bowed his head submissively.

"Release them," Uther commanded.

Merlin shook his head, trying to rid it of the dark thoughts.

"You've got your whole life ahead of you. Sofia is your first love but she will not be your last. Ask Merlin." Merlin fought back a blush as Uther continued. "Enjoy yourself while you can."

Arthur bowed his head and left the throne room, Sofia and Aulfric right behind him.

* * *

><p>Merlin tentatively walked into Arthur's chambers, watching as he angrily packed his things.<p>

"Get out," Arthur growled when he noticed Merlin.

"I thought the king was a bit harsh," Merlin offered, hoping to calm him down.

"I don't need sympathy from you," Arthur snapped.

"But I do think he had a point," Merlin continued.

"I told you to leave," Arthur growled, glaring at Merlin with more hate than he'd ever seen before.

Merlin wanted to turn around and run, but Arthur had to hear this.

"I know you think you know what you're doing and I know you think you're in love with Sofia…"

"Who are you to tell me what I'm thinking!" Arthur shouted.

"We've always been like brothers…" Merlin began but Arthur cut him off.

"No, you're Uther's ward who can't even take care of himself," Arthur snapped.

The comment stung, but Merlin tried to push it away, telling himself it was just the enchantment; Arthur didn't mean any of it.

"You don't know what you're doing; she's cast a spell on you. You're enchanted-" Merlin said frantically, praying that somewhere the real Arthur was listening.

"I told you people would try and keep us apart," Sofia said as she stepped through the door, her father behind her.

"I won't let that happen," Arthur replied.

"Don't listen to her. She's controlling you!" Merlin exclaimed. "She's enchanting you!"

Aulfric's eyes flashed to red.

"See… don't you see!" Merlin stammered.

"Yes… I see everything…" Arthur replied.

He turned to face Merlin, his eyes blood red. Horror filled up inside of Merlin. He turned to run; to tell Gaius, anyone what was going on, but before he could Aulfric raised his staff and sent what looked like a bolt of lightning right at him. The last thing Merlin heard before darkness consumed him was maniacal laughter.

* * *

><p>"Merlin! What happened to you?"<p>

Merlin heard a voice asking desperately. He forced his eyes opened and tried to focus on the figure in front of him.

"Aulfric," Merlin groaned, "Where's Arthur? I have to stop them…what's that buzzing noise…" Merlin tried to get to his feet but immediately started to fall over again. Everything was spinning and there was a strange buzzing in his ears, but he had to get Arthur.

"Careful, Merlin, you can barely stand up." The person said.

Gaius, it was Gaius he was talking to.

"I have to go," Merlin said, trying to ignore the spinning.

"No, you can't. Not in this state. You owe it to your powers that you survived this at all," Gaius said sternly. "Now has the buzzing stopped?"

"Yes," Merlin lied and tried to wrestle himself out of Gaius's tight grip, but to no avail.

"Liar," Gaius snapped.

"I have to go, Gaius. He'll die if I don't," Merlin said frantically. Why couldn't he get it? Arthur was going to die.

"The Sidhe are vicious people. You have to be careful," Gaius warned.

"Don't worry," Merlin assured him. "I know what I'm doing."

Merlin started off but Gaius stopped him.

"Merlin."

"What?"

"This way," Gaius pointed in the opposite direction. Merlin shook his head; he'd been heading towards the window.

"Just testing…" Merlin muttered and set off running.

He ran through the woods, towards the lake he'd followed Aulfric to. He ran like his life depended on it. Merlin kept stumbling, his vision blurred, but he kept running, only one thought giving him the energy to keep going. If he didn't make it in time, Arthur would die.

When Merlin finally found his way to the lake his vision had mostly cleared and the buzzing was gone. He saw Aulfric standing on the edge of the lake chanting a spell and Sofia standing in the lake, Arthur no where in sight. Merlin saw Sofia's staff lying at Aulfric's feet. He muttered a spell, causing the staff to come flying towards him.

Merlin caught the staff and shouted, "Swetcorpia!"

A bolt of lighting flew at Aelfric, who was completely unprepared. The lighting hit him in the chest and he exploded into tiny fragments of glowing dust.

"Father!" Sofia shouted who began frantically swimming through the water to reach Merlin. He shouted the spell again and she vanished in the same manner as her father.

Merlin ran into the water shouting frantically.

"Arthur? ARTHUR!"

Merlin frantically looked through the murky water, hoping to catch a glimpse of his friend. The only thought running through his mind was that Arthur was dying. He had to hurry…

Merlin dove in where he thought Sofia had stood and looked around frantically. He spotted the glimmer of chainmail and swam towards it. He grabbed Arthur and dragged him to the surface.

Merlin held onto Arthur tightly as he dragged him to the shore, reassured by Arthur's breath on his neck.

* * *

><p>Arthur groaned.<p>

"Arthur? How do you feel?" Merlin asked.

"Oh… my head," Arthur groaned. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?" Gaius asked.

"There was… a girl… Sofia… I went to the forest with her… I asked my father to… Marry her… what was I thinking?"

"If it's any consolation you where under an enchantment," Merlin informed him.

"An enchantment?" Arthur asked.

"She did it to get you to go with her so she could sacrifice you and be granted entrance into Avalon," Merlin hurriedly explained.

Arthur stared at Merlin for a minute before collapsing back into his pillow groaning.

* * *

><p>"Where were you this morning, Arthur?" Uther demanded later. "When you didn't show up for the patrol this morning I feared you'd eloped with Sofia in a fit of passion."<p>

"Father, this was all just one huge misunderstanding," Arthur began.

"How so?" Uther asked tiredly.

"Well… late last night I went on a hunt to clear my head, and Merlin here thought I was running off with Sofia so he followed me and after a lot of confusion we both realized what was going on and headed back to Camelot," Arthur explained.

Uther was silent for a minute before sighing.

"Well these past few days have been very tiring… so I will let this slide. But if you miss another patrol there will be consequences."

"Yes, Sire," Arthur replied before bowing deeply.

"And Merlin," Uther growled.

"Yes Uther?" Merlin asked nervously.

"You know you are forbidden from leaving Camelot without a guard…"

"He was with me!" Arthur exclaimed, but Uther wouldn't hear it.

"He left without telling anyone and he certainly wasn't with you. You, Merlin, will be spending the night in the dungeons."

A pair of guards grabbed Merlin and dragged him off. The last thing he heard was Arthur's angry shouts before the door slammed behind him.

* * *

><p>Later that night a pair of guards appeared at the cell door.<p>

"You can go."

One of the guards unlocked the door and gestured for him to leave.

"But I thought-" Merlin began but Morgana interrupted him.

"I convinced Uther to let you go."

Merlin locked eyes with Morgana.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

"I should be thanking you," Morgana whispered. "Arthur told me what really happened… and, well, thank you for saving him. I don't know how you did it but I'm glad you did."

Morgana left before Merlin could say anything more.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Wow this was long. So what's up with Morgana? Let me know what you thought!**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N**

**Edit** So here's the now edited Version! enjoy!**

Merlin strode through the halls wearily; the past few days had been hard for him. Every time he and Uther where in the same room anyone nearby could feel the tension between them. Something had changed between the king and his ward, but Merlin was clueless as to what it was and why it was causing so much trouble. He was so deeply engrossed in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the voice calling to him.

"_Help me…_"

Merlin froze in his tracks and began walking towards the voice.

"_Help me please…_"

Merlin was sure he'd heard the voice now. He looked around the courtyard and spotted a boy slumped against a cart. The boy locked eyes with him and he heard the voice again, begging.

_ Please… you have to help me…"_

Merlin saw a couple of guards searching across the courtyard.

"Have you seen a boy?" one of them asked.

"_What do they want?"_ Merlin asked the boy silently.

"_They're going to kill me…_" the boy replied weakly.

Merlin could feel the boy's presence in his mind getting weaker.

_ "Please…_"

Merlin slowly walked over to the servants entrance and beckoned.

"_Run, NOW!"_

The boy stood and ran after him, catching the attention of the guards.

"There!" a guard shouted, pointing right at the boy.

Merlin grabbed his arm and dragged him through the entrance and into the castle. Without thinking he burst into the nearest bedroom, which happened to be Morgana's chambers.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" Morgana asked sarcastically.

"I'm sorry I didn't know what else to do," Merlin replied breathlessly. "The guards are after him…"

Morgana locked eyes with the boy and there was a loud knocking at her door.

"My lady!" a guard called.

For a moment Merlin feared that she would turn them in.

"Please," he begged.

"Get in over there," Morgana ordered, pointing behind the screen.

Merlin dragged the boy behind the screen just as Morgana opened the door.

"Yes?"

"We're sorry to disturb you, my Lady, but we're looking for a boy we believe may have come through here," one of the guards informed her.

"I haven't seen anyone. It's just my maid and I," Morgana replied, making Merlin sigh in relief.

The boy suddenly fainted and Merlin was only able to barely keep him from falling to the floor.

"Best keep the door locked until we find him," the guard replied firmly.

"Of course," Morgana assured.

Merlin heard Morgana close the door, and his mind froze when he felt something slick trickle onto his hands. Morgana ripped the curtain back and Merlin studied his hand. There was blood on it.

Merlin felt sick as he watched a man being forced onto the platform with the executioner. He couldn't help but imagine himself standing on that very same platform, his head being forced onto the chopping block…

"I can't watch," Morgana whispered, turning and walking back over to the boy.

She wrapped her arms comfortingly around him as Uther gave the signal. Merlin looked away just as the executioner dropped the ax. They heard a distinctive thump and the boy screeched.

"_No!_"

One of Morgana's mirrors shattered, sending shards of glass flying across the room. Merlin felt a shiver run up his spine when he looked at the boy again. His eyes had turned cold and the expression they held could easily rival Uther's glare.

Later that day, Merlin wandered around his chambers distractedly as Evan chattered about some random rumor going around the castle. Ordinarily, Evan wouldn't prattle on about these things, but he seemed to sense that Merlin needed something to distract him from the disturbing thoughts going through his mind.

The boy's hate scared Merlin a little bit. At first he seemed nice enough, but what could he have done to make Uther so angry? At the same time, he knew how Uther could overreact. But the look on his face…

"Merlin… is there anything I can do to help you?" Evan asked, startling him out of his thoughts.

"No, no I'm fine-" Merlin assured distractedly.

"Please Merlin, I want to help," Evan persisted.

"Look I…it's nothing," Merlin assured before striding out of the room.

Dinner that night was a very tense affair. The whole time Merlin worried that Uther would declare that he knew they where hiding the boy and that they had to hand him over.

"So I heard someone broke into the castle today," Morgana began.

Merlin stared at her wide eyed but she ignored him, her attention on Uther instead.

"Yes a druid boy," Uther replied.

"I thought the druids where peaceful," Merlin said before he could stop himself.

Uther stared a Merlin for a minute before replying, "Most are yes… but this boy is dangerous."

"Just because he has magic?" Merlin snapped.

"No, because he and his companion practiced dark magic," Uther explained calmly, like he was explaining something to a very naïve child.

"How do you _know_ he was practicing dark magic?" Merlin demanded, infuriated.

"Merlin, you have to trust me-" Uther began but Merlin cut him off,

"It's like everyone who has magic is evil!"

Before Uther could reply Arthur strode into the hall, effectively halting the conversation.

"We've searched everywhere for the boy, he's nowhere in the city… perhaps he's left."

"Are you telling me that an injured boy was able to evade all of the guards?" Uther asked skeptically. "No. He's here. Someone is helping him. I want him and whoever is helping the boy found."

"Is this really necessary, father? The druids where only here to collect supplies. They meant no harm," Arthur asked.

"Trust me, the boy is no friend," Uther whispered venomously.

"Just because he has magic it doesn't mean he's evil!" Merlin shouted. "I mean, what would you do if _I_ had magic? Execute me? Lock me up?"

Uther looked mortified, which only made Merlin angrier.

_ So magic is okay as long as it helps him…_

"I would never harm someone just because of what they were born with," Uther whispered.

"Well that's what you're doing now!" Merlin shouted before storming off.

Merlin was fuming when he flung the door to his room open, startling Evan.

"Merlin are you-?" Evan asked, clearly concerned.

"I'm fine," Merlin snapped.

"What happened?" Evan asked.

Merlin paced the room angrily as he recounted the conversation with Uther to Evan.

After a minute if silence Evan asked, "are you sure you're just mad about what Uther said? It seems like there's… more to it."

Merlin stiffened, his mind whirling.

_Does he know about my magic? How can he? No, I'm over thinking this…_

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked slowly.

"It just… I mean it seems like… have you somehow gotten involved with the druid boy?" Evan asked.

"No," Merlin replied quickly.

Evan's threw Merlin a questioning look.

"I am not involved in this; I just hate how blinded Uther is by his hate for magic."

Merlin knew Evan didn't believe him, but he had more important things to worry about.

Merlin placed his hand on the boys burning forehead.

"How long has he been like this?" he asked.

"Since this morning," Morgana replied worriedly.

Merlin couldn't help but notice how attached she was becoming to the boy.

There was a loud knocking at the door and Morgana quickly shut the curtain, blocking Merlin and the boy from sight. Morgana opened the door and Merlin pulled the curtain open a crack so he could see what was happening.

Arthur strode in, looking slightly abashed.

"I'm sorry, Morgana, but I have to search your chambers."

"Why?" Morgana asked as Arthur pushed his way in.

"Don't be offended, I have to search every room in the castle," Arthur replied. "It will only take a minute."

"I won't have you going through my things," Morgana snapped.

"Don't worry. I won't break anything," Arthur assured her, rolling his eyes.

"What will Uther think when he hears you wasted your time riffling through my things?" Morgana demanded.

"Look, Morgana, I don't like this either but I must search all the rooms in the castle. Even yours. The King demands it," Arthur snapped.

"Well you're wasting your time," Morgana continued as Arthur got closer and closer to Merlin's hiding spot.

Arthur walked right past the curtain and Merlin held his breath, praying they wouldn't be found.

"Morgana… it seems like you're hiding something."

"Why would I be hiding something?" Morgana asked innocently.

"Why indeed?" Arthur asked strolling casually back over to Merlin's hiding place. "What do you think Merlin?" Arthur ripped the curtain open to reveal Merlin and the druid boy.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Opps, what will Arthur do? **


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N**

** So my beta's back so this chapter (and now the previous chapter) have been edited, YAY! If you haven't yet, and want/need a good read, go check out her story called Right Under the Royal Nose. It's really good so far. Anyways, enjoy!**

Merlin went stiff under Arthur's hard glare and shifted so that he blocked the druid boy from view.

"How did you know?" Morgana asked.

"I knew he was back there the whole time" Arthur replied. "I saw you when you pulled back the curtain. Not to mention you breathe very loudly-"

"Don't turn him in," Merlin begged.

"My father has literally every knight and soldier looking for him," Arthur said slowly.

"So you're saying he deserves to die simply because he has magic?" Merlin snapped, giving Arthur a hard look.

"No," Arthur replied quickly.

"And if you where really going to turn us in you would have done so by now," Morgana added smugly.

"Please," Merlin implored.

"You owe Merlin anyway," Morgana added. "Because of your infatuation with Sofia he spent two nights in the dungeon and his servant was sent to the stocks."

"Fine," Arthur sighed. "I won't turn him in _but,_" Arthur glared at Merlin sternly, "you must get him out of Camelot the moment he's well enough."

Arthur eyed the moaning boy warily, reminded all too painfully of those many long nights watching Merlin suffer.

"Thank you!" Merlin exclaimed.

"You're lucky none of the knights were here," Arthur admonished him. "I would have had no choice but to turn you in then."

Merlin nodded his head dejectedly and Arthur turned on his heel and left. Merlin then turned his attention back to the boy. Merlin was no physician, but he knew the boy was sick. Very sick.

"Merlin, we need Gaius," Morgana whispered.

"No," Merlin rebuffed. "He would just turn the boy in."

"What do we do?" Morgana whispered.

"I'll try and heal him," Merlin replied. "I've read a lot of Gaius's books; I'm sure I can help him."

"Are you positive?" Morgana asked worriedly.

"I have to try," Merlin replied.

* * *

><p><p>

Merlin hid in the alcove nearby Gaius's chambers and waited patiently for the old physician to go on his rounds. Based off of the books he still had, Merlin was pretty sure he could make something to help with the boy's sickness, but first he had to get the ingredients.

Merlin hid in the shadows with baited breath as Gaius walked out, muttering to himself. He sighed in relief and slipped into the physician's chambers.

Merlin frantically began going through Gaius's stores, grabbing the necessary items and praying that Gaius didn't notice they were gone. Merlin stuffed the items along with a small bowl and a spoon to prepare the ingredients.

Merlin was just leaving Gaius's chambers when he literally ran into Evan.

"Merlin, what are you doing here?" Evan asked, eyeing the bag slung over Merlin's shoulder.

"Getting my medicine," Merlin replied automatically.

"But I always do that," Evan protested.

"Well Gaius asked me to get some herbs for him and since I was already here-"

"But I thought you weren't allowed to leave the castle without a guard?" Evan asked, interrupting Merlin.

"I'm going with Arthur," Merlin replied without thinking.

"He's still searching the castle," Evan continued, raising an eyebrow.

Merlin suppressed a groan; he didn't have time for this!

"We're going when he finishes," Merlin replied, stepping around Evan. "Now, um… I need you to clean my chambers!"

"If I may, where are you going?" Evan asked, both eyebrows raised.

"To see Morgana!" Merlin called.

He ran before Evan could ask anymore questions.

Merlin burst into Morgana's chambers, panting slightly

"What took you so long?" she asked.

"Sorry. I had to shake Evan off, he can be very persistent," Merlin explained, pulling out the ingredients.

Merlin winced slightly at the thought; he hated lying to Evan, but too many people were in danger. Merlin hoped that by this time tomorrow things would be back to normal.

He carefully mixed the ingredients together.

"Morgana could you get me some water?" he asked.

Morgana nodded her head and quickly left to do what Merlin asked.

Merlin removed the bandage and smeared the concoction over the boys wound. He felt a weak presence in his mind.

_"Thank you, Emrys."_

Merlin looked down and was surprised to see that the boy was awake.

"_Emrys? Why'd you call me that_?" Merlin asked silently.

_"Among my people…that is your name,"_ the voice replied weakly.

"_You know who I am? How?" _Merlin asked, but he received no reply. "_Speak to me!_" Merlin demanded, but the boy's eyes had slipped closed

* * *

><p><p>

"He won't speak" Morgana informed him, kneeling down. "I don't know if it's because he can't or if he's too scared to."

Personally Merlin wasn't sure if it was either, but he wisely didn't say anything.

* * *

><p><p>

As he headed down to see the dragon, Merlin dully noted how the guards were frantically searching everywhere, trying to find the boy. They didn't even notice as Merlin slipped down to the dragon's prison.

"Hello?" Merlin called, not seeing the dragon.

He looked around for a minute before hearing a roar. Merlin jumped up as he saw the dragon climb down from the wall.

"Did you have to do that?" Merlin snapped. "You scared the living daylights out of me."

"The young warlock," the dragon began, ignoring Merlin's complaint. "You must be here about the druid boy."

"How did you know that?" Merlin asked, stunned.

"Like you, I hear him speak," the dragon replied calmly.

"Why does he call me Emrys?" Merlin asked.

"Because that is your name" the dragon said, sounding slightly amused.

"I'm pretty sure my name's Merlin. Always has been," Merlin corrected.

"You have many names," the dragon replied cryptically. A grin spread on the dragon's face, or as close to a grin as it was possible for him to get.

"Do I?" Merlin asked, surprised. "How does the boy know who I am? I've never even met any druids."

_The boy knew about him how many others did as well…?_

"There is much written about you," the dragon explained, "that you have yet to read. You should not protect this boy."

"Why?" Merlin asked, his eyes widening. "He has magic, just like me!"

Merlin knew he could never ignore someone like him, no matter how strange that someone was.

"You and the boy are as different as day and night," the dragon replied.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked his mind whirling; sure the boy's face had startled him but his friend had just been killed…

"Heed my words, Merlin," the dragon said, beginning to take off.

"Why should I not protect him?" Merlin shouted, but the dragon wouldn't say anything else.

* * *

><p><p>

The next morning Merlin made his way to Morgana's chambers.

"It's Merlin," he whispered, knocking on the door.

Gwen hurriedly pulled the door open and ushered him inside. Merlin walked over to where Morgana was. She was dabbing the boy's forehead with a damp cloth.

"How is he?" Merlin asked.

"He's getting weaker," Morgana whispered, and then rounded on Merlin. "Whatever you did yesterday isn't working; we have to ask Gaius for help."

Merlin could hear the desperation in her voice, but he knew that telling Gaius wasn't an option.

She must have seen the look on his face and known what it meant, because she exclaimed: "After all you've done you can't give up now!"

"Please! He must receive treatment or else he'll die!" she begged when Merlin didn't respond.

Merlin knew both the dragon and Uther wanted to see the boy die, but how could he abandon one of his own?

Merlin found himself nodding his head.

"Okay, I'll try." Merlin stood and left, intent on going to get Gaius, but when he was about halfway there, Uther stopped him saying,

"Merlin, I need to speak to you about a matter of great importance." Merlin suppressed a groan, he knew the boy couldn't wait for treatment, but there was no way to get out of it without telling Uther. So, Merlin was forced to follow Uther to his chambers and wait impatiently for him to begin.

"Merlin I couldn't help but notice how… upset you where with me about the boy…"

"You're killing him because he has magic" Merlin said coldly. Uther sighed and admitted,

"I know but I do have my reasons…"

"What?" Merlin asked rolling his eyes.

"Nimueh had a brother named Cedran…"

"So?" Merlin asked. He knew Nimueh was the witch who'd killed his father, but didn't get why she had anything to do with this. But, it all made since when Uther informed Merlin

"…Cedran is the boys' father."

**End Notes**

** Yikes, what will Merlin do now? Will this affect his decision to help the boy? **


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N**

**So tomorrow I'm taking the ACT (JOY!) so I have no idea if I'll be able to update tomorrow, but I will try my best. This next week is going to be crazy so updates will be a little sporadic, I'll try my best to update regularly but please just bear with me until the end of the holidays, my family does a lot around this time of year. Thanks for being such awesome readers and enjoy! **

* * *

><p>Merlin's mind started whirling as his mind processed this new information. The boy's aunt was his father's murderer.<p>

_But that doesn't mean anything_, Merlin thought fiercely. _So what?_

But Merlin couldn't help but feel a bitter resentment forming; the druid boy's aunt had destroyed his family. Merlin tried to tell himself that maybe the boy's father wasn't like that…

"Cedran was almost as bad as Nimueh," Uther muttered to himself darkly, making Merlin's stomach roll.

_So? The boy can't be held responsible for his father's mistakes_, Merlin told himself firmly.

"If this boy is anything like his father and aunt… we just cannot risk him harming innocent people," Uther explained. "I hate that we have to do this but… I will not risk innocent lives on the chance that the boy may be good, despite his… heritage."

Merlin left Uther's chambers, his resolve fading into nothing.

He walked through the castle numbly, completely forgetting his promise to fetch Gaius. Thoughts of the boy, the boy's parents, and Merlin's own parents filled his mind. No matter what he did, Merlin couldn't shake that feeling of bitter resentment towards the boy. He knew that even if the boy had been alive when his father was killed, there was nothing he could have done to stop it. But she killed his mother and father…

"Merlin!" someone shouted, startling Merlin out of his thoughts. Merlin whipped around and saw Arthur running towards him. He slowed to let Arthur catch up.

"Is something wrong?" Merlin asked.

"Morgana was worried when you didn't come back and wanted me to see what was going on," Arthur replied breathlessly. "Where are you going? Gaius's chambers are the other way."

Bitter anger filled up inside Merlin again.

"Do you know who that boy is?"

"Why would that matter?" Arthur asked.

"His father was Nimueh's brother," Merlin hissed.

A wide range of emotions flashed across Arthur's features.

"Merlin, I get why this would upset you, but are you really going to let him die like this?" Arthur asked.

"I… I don't know okay!" Merlin shouted, not caring who heard. "I know I shouldn't blame him but… I just…"

"Merlin, listen to me," Arthur whispered. "You can't let your anger control you. You and I both know the boy can't be blamed for what his family has done."

"I know…" Merlin whispered, hanging his head.

"Prove it," Arthur challenged.

Merlin nodded and turned on his heel, running to Gaius's chambers. He slowed down as he drew closer to his destination, frantically trying to figure out a good way to ask for the physician's help. Merlin tentatively knocked on the door to Gaius's chambers and peeked inside. He saw Gaius filling his case with potions and other supplies for his usual rounds. He looked up as Merlin entered.

"Hello Merlin, what can I do for you?"

Merlin decided to just get it over with rather then beat around the bush.

"Morgana's hiding the druid boy in her chambers," Merlin said quickly.

Gaius was silent for several tense seconds. "I take it when you say she's hiding the druid boy that you're helping her?"

"I didn't have a choice," Merlin whispered.

"How could you have been so stupid?" Gaius demanded. "Every guard in Camelot is looking for this boy and you're hiding him under their very nose! What were you thinking?"

Merlin sighed and looked away. Gaius continued to stare at him expectantly.

"He has magic… like me…" Merlin explained. "I couldn't just let him die… but he's sick, really sick. I tried to help him but it didn't work."

"So now you want me to risk my neck to?" Gaius asked, eyebrows raised.

Merlin sighed as he tried to explain his point. "If he doesn't get treatment we may as well hand him over to the guards because he'll die anyway." When Gaius still wasn't swayed Merlin added, "You didn't turn your back on me, please don't turn your back on him." Merlin knew all of the warnings he'd been given but he hoped that if he could show the boy a bit of kindness, maybe he wouldn't end up like his family.

* * *

><p>Gaius was bent over the boy, inspecting him carefully while Morgana watched worriedly.<p>

Finally Gaius declared, "I will treat him, but as soon as he's better you must get him out of Camelot."

Merlin nodded his and Gaius bent over again to begin the boy's treatment.

* * *

><p>Merlin, Morgana, and Gwen watched warily as a guard stopped a man and started stabbing at the hay inside his wagon.<p>

"The guards are searching everyone leaving town," Gwen whispered.

"There's another way out," Merlin informed them quietly. "There's a passage in the armory that leads to the lower town. I'll take him through there."

"No. Uther will be even madder if he catches you out of the castle after dark. I'll do it," Morgana argued.

"I'm good at sneaking around-" Merlin began, but Morgana cut him off.

"Uther will lock you up and throw away the key if he catches you. The boy is my responsibility. I'll get him out."

Merlin knew he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it so, so he agreed grudgingly.

"Well, you'll need a key for the door."

"Who has it?" Morgana asked.

"Arthur," Merlin replied.

"Well, ask him for it," said Morgana.

"He'll get into trouble if Uther realizes he was helping us," Merlin muttered.

"What else can we do?" Morgana asked.

"I'll have to steal them," Merlin replied. He realized he was now going to have to trick a master warrior whom he'd never been able to fool; this was going to be interesting.

* * *

><p>Merlin watched silently as Arthur's servant brought the Prince his dinner.<p>

"That will be all."

The servant bowed and left.

Arthur began rambling about some meeting earlier that day. Merlin wasn't listening; he was preoccupied with the task of stealing Arthur's keys.

He stared at the key ring intently and muttered a spell. The ring had nearly reached Merlin's hand when Arthur whipped around to ask him something. Arthur froze when he heard the jangling of the keys as Merlin hastily moved them out of his line of sight.

"Did you hear that?" Arthur demanded.

"Hear what?" Merlin asked innocently.

"It's like a clanging sound…" Arthur began, than froze, glaring at Merlin. "Give them here."

Merlin sighed and let the keys float back to Arthur. Arthur snatched them from the air and walked over to him.

"You could have asked," he said crossly. He dropped the keys into Merlin's hand. "I don't want to know what you're doing, or why. Just give them back."

Merlin nodded his head and quickly left, Arthur shaking his head at his antics.

* * *

><p>Merlin ran to Morgana's chambers and entered when Gwen opened the door for him. He quickly handed Morgana the keys.<p>

"The passage is behind the shield at the far end of the armory. Good luck."

Morgana nodded.

"I'll pack you some food and water for the journey," Gwen offered. "Be careful."

Morgana nodded her thanks and Gwen ran off towards the kitchens. Merlin tried to ignore the druid boy. Every instinct screamed at him not to help the boy. Merlin tried to tell himself the boy hadn't done anything that warranted execution, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of unease that filled him.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N**

**I am SO sorry for the delay, as I said in the previous chapter things have been crazy for me lately and I am SO sorry about that. But hopefully this was worth the wait…**

* * *

><p>Merlin angrily paced his chambers; worry for Morgana, Gwen and even the boy filling up inside of him. He knew Gwen and the boy would be executed if they got caught and Morgana would be in deep trouble. Merlin's heart clenched painfully in his chest when he heard the warning bells go off. He flung the door to his chambers open and saw a group of knights run by, Arthur leading them. Groaning, Merlin ran to the throne room hoping to find Uther there.<p>

Merlin burst in and saw Uther sitting on his throne glaring at a knight.

"What's going on?" Merlin demanded.

"The druid boy is in the castle," Uther informed him.

"How do you know?" Merlin asked.

"The keys to the passage in the armory where missing," Uther replied stiffly.

"But that doesn't necessarily-" Merlin began but was cut off when a second knight burst in the throne room.

"We have caught the boy and his accomplice!"

Merlin groaned internally, then stopped. He'd said accomplice, like they'd only caught one other person…

"Bring them in," Uther bellowed.

Merlin walked up and stood next to Uther and watched as the guards dragged the boy in followed by Morgana. Uther's eyes widened when he saw Morgana trying to fight out of the guards' grips. The guards forced the boy to his knees, but Uther didn't even spare the boy a glace. His eyes were on Morgana.

A look of betrayal crossed his features, and for a moment Merlin almost felt sorry for him. He felt the wounds left around his wrists from the chains and the feeling quickly vanished.

"Take the boy to the dungeons," Uther ordered, his voice hollow.

"But what about-" the guard began.

"LEAVE US!" Uther bellowed

Merlin felt sorry for the guards as they bowed hastily and dragged the boy out, leaving Merlin alone with Uther and Morgana.

"Why would you betray me like this?" Uther asked in a forced calm tone. Merlin was sure that wouldn't last very long.

"I couldn't let you kill an innocent boy!" Morgana snapped.

"He is _not_ innocent," Uther growled.

"He is druid!" she exclaimed. "They are peaceful people!"

"This boy would see me killed!" Uther snarled.

"He's just a boy!" Morgana argued.

"A boy who practices dark magic!" Uther shouted.

"How do you know?" Morgana demanded.

"Merlin would understand… wouldn't you?" Uther asked.

Merlin knew exactly what Uther was doing, hated him for it.

"What is he talking about Merlin?"

Merlin refused to answer.

Before anyone could say anything else Arthur strode in.

"You sent for me?"

"Yes, the boy and his accomplice have both been captured," Uther replied in a cold tone.

Arthur locked eyes with Merlin who slowly nodded his head. Arthur shut his eyes for a moment and Merlin could practically hear him shouting internally.

"What has the boy done, Merlin?" Morgana asked, again furious.

Merlin could feel Arthur's eyes boring into him but he couldn't make himself look at either of them.

"Go on, Merlin. Tell them what he's done." Uther's tone seemed almost taunting.

Merlin was sure for a minute that Uther somehow knew he had helped and this was his punishment, to tell them what a horrible person the boy was.

"His aunt… was Nimueh…the witch who killed my parents," Merlin whispered. He looked up slowly and saw Morgana stiffen.

"That doesn't mean anything." Her eyes never left Merlin as she spoke. She continued in a menacing tone, "You would condemn a boy for what his family has done…?"

"ENOUGH!" Uther bellowed. "Arthur, see to it that the boy is executed at dawn!"

"No!" Morgana shouted, horrified.

"Let this be a lesson to you," Uther growled.

"You don't have to do this," Morgana begged.

"Do you hear me?" Uther snapped when Arthur didn't respond. "I want him executed at dawn!"

"Why are you doing this?" Morgana cried as Uther turned away from her. "Why are you so full of hate-"

Uther grabbed Morgana by the throat and pushed her against the chair.

"I don't want to hear another word. Do not speak to me until you are ready to apologize for what you've done." Uther let go of Morgana and left her there, gasping for breath.

* * *

><p>Morgana leaned heavily against the wall of her room and Merlin watched her sadly.<p>

"I promised him nothing bad would happen to him," Morgana whispered, tears lacing her voice.

"You can't blame yourself…" Merlin whispered gently.

"It's not enough," Morgana declared.

"He's in the dungeons now. There's nothing more we can do," Merlin explained.

"Are you really going to let him die for something his aunt did?" Morgana demanded.

"I never said I would, Morgana," Merlin explained. "But what can we do?"

"I won't let him die," Morgana growled before storming off towards the door, but before she left she stopped. "Can I… I mean I know you've done so much for him but… can I count on your help?"

Merlin knew what Kilgharrah and Uther both said about the boy, but something about killing a child felt so wrong to him that he found himself nodding his head.

"Thank you," Morgana breathed before slipping out.

* * *

><p>Merlin angrily paced his chambers, his mind whirling. He knew he'd promised Morgana he'd help her rescue the boy, but a deep feeling of mistrust was starting to find its way into his heart again. He knew it was wrong to kill someone based on what their parents had done, but he also knew deep down that something was <em>wrong<em> with the boy. Everything about him felt wrong, and Merlin didn't know why.

Merlin was interrupted from his thoughts by a knocking at the door.

"Come in," he called distractedly.

Morgana and Arthur walked in together.

"Is something wrong?" Merlin asked.

"We're going to break the boy out of prison," Morgana declared hurriedly.

"You can't!" Merlin exclaimed, earning surprised looks from both Arthur and Morgana.

"Morgana, you've already been caught once. Uther will be merciless if he catches you again."

"He's right," Arthur agreed reluctantly. "If the boy escapes he'll suspect you."

"You can't do this alone, though," Morgana said.

"Merlin will help," Arthur decided.

Merlin's heart froze in his chest when Arthur said this. As much as he didn't want the boy to die, he wasn't sure if he could bring himself to help the boy. It didn't make much sense, but he couldn't shake a feeling of uncertainty about the boy.

"Uther will be even angrier if Merlin gets caught," Morgana reminded them.

The three of them went in circles trying to figure out what to do. All the while Merlin tried to subtly convince them that it couldn't be done. Eventually he was forced to go along with Arthur's ridiculous plan: Morgana would go and 'apologize' to Uther and dine with him while Arthur broke the boy out. He would meet Merlin at one of the tunnels where Merlin would break open the grate and have Arthur's horse ready so they could escape.

Merlin paced his room angrily while he tried to figure out what to do. Merlin couldn't stand the thought of Arthur getting into trouble. And so far the dragon had been right about everything, so why should he be wrong this time?

Merlin's heart started to pound when he heard the alarm bells go off. He knew that he should go and help his friends, but something kept him rooted to the spot.

"_Where are you, Emrys?"_ The boy asked pitifully. "_They're going to kill me… I don't want to die…please…_"

Merlin tried to ignore the boy's pleas, but something inside of him broke at the sound of his frightened voice. How could he abandon one of his own?

"_Emrys… EMRYS!"_

The voice shouted spurring Merlin into action. He scooped up the grappling hook he'd found earlier and ran out to the spot he'd told Arthur he'd meet him. He ran as fast as he could down to the stables and jumped onto Arthur's already saddled horse. For a moment Merlin wondered when it had been saddled but decided that Arthur must have done and spurred the horse on.

When Merlin reached the right tunnel, he jumped off and ran into up to the grate.

"What took you so long?" Arthur snapped, furious.

"Sorry. I had trouble getting out of the castle," Merlin mumbled as he hooked the hook onto the grate and pulled.

"If my father asks, I've gone hunting," Arthur told him. "And you'd better get out of here. Uther will have your head if you're caught."

Merlin nodded and ran back to the castle. He forced himself to slow down once he was inside to try not to arouse suspicion. Merlin rounded the corner to the corridor leading to his chambers and ran head first into Uther. The King glared at him.

"Where were you?" Uther growled.

"With Arthur," Merlin replied automatically, which was mostly true.

"And where's Arthur?" Uther asked with clenched teeth.

"Well that's why I was coming back here," Merlin replied. "He decided to go on a hunting trip-"

"You were helping the druid boy, weren't you!" Uther snarled.

"Why would I do that?" Merlin asked, his heart clenching with fear.

"You and Morgana helped him escape, didn't you?" Uther continued furiously.

"No, my lord. I swear I didn't," Merlin exclaimed.

"I treated you like a son and you do _this_ to me?" Uther hissed.

"I would never betray you my lord," Merlin whimpered taking a few steps back.

"Liar!" Uther snarled furiously. "For this _betrayal _your punishment will be very severe…"

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Uh-oh, what's going to happen to Merlin? What happens in the next couple chapters will be my own 'episode' to kind of replace the Moment of Truth. I love the episode but there is just no way to make that work. If I could even come up with a good reason for them to go Merlin would just cast a quick spell and they'd all leave… so just a warning and there will be Merlin whump in the next couple chapters. So hopefully you all enjoy that. Thanks for being such awesome readers/reviewers!**


	36. Chapter 36

Merlin's body was stiff as a pair of guards dragged Merlin deeper and deeper into the dungeons, a furious Uther trailing behind. Merlin knew he was going to be severely punished, he was lucky that he wasn't being dragged to the chopping block if he was honest with himself, anything Uther had planned had to be better than death, right? Despite all of the reassurances, the dark look in Uther's eyes made Merlin flinch slightly. The guards flung Merlin onto the floor, Uther looming over him.

"I take no pleasure in this" Uther growled, "but you directly disobeyed me, and for that you _must_ be punished."

"Please" Merlin begged, "I haven't done…"

"_SILENCE!"_ Uther snarled. Uther nodded his head stiffly to the guards and they grabbed Merlin and dragged him to the wall so his back was to Uther. They shoved him to his knees and chained his arms above his head, scrapping at the newly healed cuts on his wrists from the last time he'd been chained. Deep down Merlin knew what Uther was planning on doing, but Merlin tried to tell himself Uther wouldn't do something like that with such little evidence… Merlin let out a scream of pain as he felt something hit his back.

"You know the law Merlin" Uther informed Merlin stiffly and Merlin felt the whip hit his back again, tearing his shirt, Merlin was only able to just muffle the scream of pain that was begging to slip between his lips, "And I spare you only because of my promise to your father, but you _will_ be punished for this." Uther continued, the whip hit Merlin's unprotected back twice more, but Merlin didn't utter a sound, he refused to let Uther see him as weak.

"You will stay here until you've learned you lesson" Uther growled before leaving Merlin with his torturer.

* * *

><p>Arthur sighed when he saw the castle come into view. Arthur hoped profusely that no one asked why he hadn't managed to catch anything, or why he'd decided to go alone. Arthur spurred his horse onward and let his mind wander to the boy, Mordred. Arthur was surprised by his reluctance to tell Arthur his name, it's not like it would make a difference, Uther wanted him dead, name or no name. As he neared the gates, Arthur tried to act surprise as a pair of guards informed Arthur about the boys escape. Arthur threw the reigns at a servant and hurried to the throne room to see his father. When he walked in Uther demanded,<p>

"Where have you been?"

"I went hunting earlier today and just got back" Arthur lied. For a moment, Arthur was sure he saw Uther stiffen slightly, but the moment left when Uther growled,

"The boy has escaped; someone inside the castle has been helping him."

"I'll send out a patrol immediately" Arthur replied, hoping to avoid any suspicion, and it worked.

"No, the boy is long gone" Uther sighed. Arthur bowed his head and left the throne room sighing in relief. Arthur decided to find Merlin, he felt bad about forcing him to go along with Arthur ridiculous plan and felt he ought to apologize to him at least. Arthur automatically walked to Merlin's room and knocked on the door tentatively. Arthur waited a minute for a reply, and when none came he knocked again and said,

"Merlin, its Arthur. I know you're mad but I came to apologize…"

"He's not there" A voice informed him. Arthur jumped and whipped around and saw Evan balancing a basket with Merlin's laundry in it.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"He left a few hours ago and I haven't seen him since" Evan explained, worry evident in his voice, "I tried to tell Uther, but he insisted Merlin was fine..." Arthur, if anything, grew even more worried for Merlin, horrible possibilities filled his mind of what could have happened to him w_hat if he's been caught? What if he was killed by a guard or what if Uther is torturing him now…? _Arthur forced himself to calm down, Uther would never let any harm come to Merlin, he always did everything he could to protect him.

"I'm going to go talk to Uther, just stay here ok?" Arthur asked.

"Of course" Evan replied, worry evident in his voice. Arthur nodded and ran back to the throne room. Uther burst in and demanded,

"Where's Merlin?" Uther stiffened and asked icily,

"Why should I know?"

"A servant informed me that you claimed to know where he was when the servant mentioned he was missing" Arthur growled.

"Don't worry about it" Uther growled glaring hotly at Arthur. Arthur glared at Uther as he turned on his heel and stormed out of the throne room. Arthur walked to his chambers, glaring at any servant who dared get too close to him. Arthur flung the door open then froze when he heard someone shout,

"_Arthur!"_ Arthur whipped around just as Morgana burst in breathless.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur you have to come!" Morgana gasped, "Its Merlin!" Arthur felt his blood run cold when she said this, Arthur was about to ask what happened but she didn't give him a chance to. She immediately turned on her heel and ran out the door, Arthur hot on her heels. Morgana raced through the halls frantically, Arthur only able to just keep up with her. As they rounded the corner to Merlin's chambers Arthur wanted to tell her that Merlin wasn't there and stopped outside his door as she rushed in. Arthur stopped, his mind whirling. Morgana stepped outside again and ushered him in,

"Come on Arthur." Arthur tentatively followed her in. Arthur wasn't sure what he expected to find when he walked in, but the site that greeted him definitely wasn't on the list of things he thought he'd find. Gaius was bent over a figure lying on Merlin's bed, and was whipping several deep cuts that Arthur knew come from a whip. Evan was next to the bed helping Gaius as he whipped some strange liquid over the injuries. Arthur walked over to the bed slowly, dread filling up inside him. The figure slowly looked up at Arthur and whispered weakly,

"Arthur…" It was Merlin.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Oh I'm mean... well I hope you guys enjoyed that :) **


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N**

** Hey guys, so I know updates have been a little scattered but winter break is finally here so I will have more time to write. That said, enjoy **** and give a shout out to my beta Hatstand who's been doing an awesome job betaing****!**

* * *

><p>Merlin looked slightly pathetic as he weakly reached out to Arthur.<p>

"Merlin?" Arthur whispered. He heard his voice crack but he didn't care. He walked slowly over to the bed and kneeled down next to Merlin.

"What happened?" Arthur breathed.

Merlin's arm fell back onto the bed and Arthur gripped his friend's hand tightly in his own.

"Who did this?" Arthur asked, his whole body tense from the effort of trying not to kill whoever dared harm Merlin.

Merlin winced as Gaius cleaned a particularly deep gash. His back was red from all of the deep welts that marred his skin, blood still dripped out of the gashes. When Merlin still didn't answer Gaius spoke reluctantly.

"One of the Guards. On Uther's orders."

"What," Arthur exclaimed, hate and anger filling up inside him. _How could Uther do this?_

"He found Merlin heading back to his chambers shortly after the boy escaped and decided that he must have been involved in the boys escape," Gaius explained.

"How dare he," Arthur growled.

"Arthur… please don't do anything stupid," Merlin whispered weakly.

Arthur ruffled Merlin's hair affectionately. "Don't worry. I'm just going to talk to him," he said reassuringly.

"Arthur…." Merlin groaned, trying to lift himself up.

"Merlin, you need to rest," Gaius scolded.

"Don't worry, Merlin, we'll fix this," Morgana promised.

"Uther's really angry," Merlin protested.

"This is unforgivable," Morgana hissed.

"But I _did_ help the boy escape," Merlin argued.

"Uther couldn't know that for sure," Morgana replied darkly.

"You were helping him?" Evan whispered.

Arthur looked up, surprised. He had forgotten momentarily that Evan was in the room.

"I'm sorry," Merlin whispered, looking Evan in the eye. "I didn't want people finding out." He looked at Evan hopefully. Evan sighed.

"Well… I kind of suspected you had _something_ to do with his escape." Evan shook his head.

"Can you forgive me for lying to you?" Merlin asked.

"Of course," Evan replied, smiling weakly. "It's impossible to stay mad at an injured person."

Merlin's smile faltered slightly. "Would you be mad if I wasn't injured?"

"No," Evan replied after a moment's silence.

The smile returned and Arthur couldn't help but wonder why Merlin cared so much about what a servant thought about him, but then realized that Evan was probably one of Merlin's few friends. Evan had always been there for Merlin when Arthur couldn't be.

Wordlessly, Arthur turned and left, Morgana hot on his heels.

"Arthur, wait!" Merlin shouted, but Arthur ignored him. Nothing Merlin said could convince him that Uther had been right doing this. The deep gashes that marred Merlin's back were permanently ingrained in Arthur's mind. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to forgive Uther for what he'd done. For a moment, Arthur thought about the humor of how many times he'd burst into the throne room, but he pushed the thought away. He had more important things to worry about.

Arthur approached the throne, glaring at Uther.

"Why did you do that to Merlin?" Arthur growled.

"Do what?" Uther asked dryly, but Arthur could see the fear in his eyes.

"You know what," Morgana snapped. "How could you be so cruel?"

"I showed him mercy," Uther replied icily.

"For a crime he didn't even commit!" Morgana shouted.

"He betrayed me and my trust" Uther persisted.

"No. You betrayed him," Arthur snapped. "You've punished him based on extremely circumstantial evidence. How is that fair?"

"The law does not yield to any man," Uther replied stiffly.

"There was once a time when the King would have hesitated to harm someone like this," Morgana hissed. "What happened to that man?"

"I cannot risk the lives of the people of Camelot to protect-" Uther began, but Morgana wouldn't hear it.

"How could you think for even a second that Merlin would ever do _anything_ to hurt the people of Camelot?"

"He broke the law," Uther growled.

Arthur's blood was boiling by that point. _How could Uther do this in good conscience?_

"You're letting hate and anger control you," Arthur snarled before turning and walking away, not once looking back at Uther.

* * *

><p>By the time Arthur returned to Merlin's chambers, Gaius had bandaged Merlin up and was preparing to leave.<p>

"We need to keep an eye on his injuries to make sure they don't get infected," Gaius said quietly.

"Will he be ok?" Arthur asked, looking over at Merlin who had fallen asleep.

"Yes. He'll need a few nights rest but he will recover," Gaius explained.

Arthur sighed in relief, but his anger at Uther was still present despite the good news. He sat silently in the chair next to Merlin's bed and watched his chest rise and fall slowly.

"He doesn't care," Arthur whispered. "Merlin doesn't matter to him-"

"Arthur, you know that's not true," Gaius said sternly. "Your father cares about Merlin more than you know."

"Then why did he do this?" Arthur demanded, furious. He glared at Gaius, who didn't reply.

Arthur wasn't sure what to think anymore. Sure, they _had_ helped the boy escape but Uther didn't know for sure they'd helped. Was whipping someone half to death really a proper punishment? And the boy's execution was wrong to. What had the boy done?

Arthur felt something touch his hand.

"Arthur?"

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Merlin.

"Did I wake you?" Arthur asked.

Merlin shook his head. "I wasn't really asleep," he admitted.

"How are you feeling?" Arthur whispered gently.

Merlin shrugged slightly, wincing at the movement.

"Definitely been better," he whispered, a weak smile on his face.

"But you've definitely been worse," Arthur teased.

"Yeah" Merlin agreed, laughing weakly.

Arthur was always amazed by how Merlin was always able to find the good in a bad situation; he was always smiling and trying to keep the mood light. He ruffled Merlin's hair, grinning at him. Merlin's smile faltered slightly.

"What happened with Uther?" he asked.

Arthur sighed, not wanted to tell Merlin what happened, but knowing he had to.

"He's… being very stubborn," Arthur explained.

"When isn't he?" Merlin teased, grinning slightly.

Arthur couldn't help but laugh at Merlin's statement. _When wasn't __Uther stubborn?_ Merlin had once joked that if Uther and a mule got into a fight, the mule would go running for the hills. Arthur's smile faltered as he studied Merlin's back. The wrongness of it all infuriated him. What he didn't understand was why Merlin wasn't mad; he was the one in pain.

"Are you mad at him?" Arthur asked, needing to know.

"Yes," Merlin admitted. "But I've forgiven him…"

"Even though he hasn't apologized?" Arthur demanded.

"Well… he is the King," Merlin said uncertainly. "He's just doing what he thinks is best…" Arthur could tell Merlin was just trying to convince himself as much as he was Arthur.

"If you're still upset then why have you forgiven him?" Arthur asked.

"Just because I've forgiven him, doesn't mean I trust him," Merlin whispered. "Forgiveness doesn't mean trust… it just means I won't hold it against him."

Arthur hardly ever understood Merlin, and this time was no exception.

"Well… try and get some rest. I'll see you in the morning," Arthur said, standing up.

"Good night, Arthur" Merlin whispered as Arthur left the room.

"Sleep well," Arthur replied before shutting the door.

Just because Merlin had forgiven Uther, that didn't mean Arthur had forgiven him. Arthur doubted he'd ever be able to forgive Uther for this, and he was sure Morgana felt the same.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So next chapter will have Uther's POV, what is he **_**really**_** thinking throughout all of this? **


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N**

**Hey guys so this will basically be the last chapter of this mini episode. There might be a small thing at the beginning of the next chapter but next we'll start seeing some of 'Excalibur' which I'm pretty excited about. Thanks for being such awesome readers! **

* * *

><p>Uther watched with cold eyes as Morgana stormed out of the throne room, but on the inside, he felt himself falling apart. Deep down, Uther knew what he did to Merlin was wrong, but the feeling of betrayal was hard to shake. Uther couldn't figure out why Merlin didn't trust him, why wouldn't he tell Uther about his magic? At first, Uther had thought he was doing the right thing in punishing Merlin. Merlin had more than likely been involved in the boy's escape, a boy who'd been using dark magic! But, when the guards had literally dragged Merlin's barely conscious form past him, he wasn't so sure. There had been so much blood all over Merlin's tiny frame, the deep gashes marring Merlin's pale skin…<p>

Uther tried to push the disturbing thoughts from his mind, but Merlin's bloody and bruised form kept forcing its way back into his mind. Uther placed his head in his hands, his mind reeling. Was he really doing what was best for Camelot? Or was Morgana right, was he really letting hate control him? Uther knew why he'd lashed out like he had, Merlin kept saying he would never do anything to betray him, but he refused to tell Uther about his magic. Magic always seemed to be the root of the problem. The boys magic had caused all of this to begin with. What was the main reason he wanted the boy dead? _Because of his aunt_ was the immediate reply he got. He kept telling himself that it was for Merlin and Arthur and even Morgana, but deep down, he knew a part of it was him seeking revenge, hoping to hurt his enemies like they hurt him.

Uther slowly stood and mad his way to Merlin's chambers. None of the servants gave the king a second glace as he made his way through the castle, but even if they did Uther wouldn't have paid them any head. Uther froze in front of Merlin's room, unsure if he should go in or not.

"Arthur and Morgana are furious with you" Gaius informed Uther appearing in front of him.

"I know" Uther replied.

"Then why won't you talk to them about it?" Gaius demanded.

"You where the one who said not to tell Merlin I knew" Uther retorted.

"So this isn't just about the druid boy" Gaius replied.

"Why doesn't he trust me?" Uther asked.

"Maybe this is the reason" Gaius replied gesturing to the boy, "he knows how you lose your temper." Uther sighed in defeat and asked,

"What should I do?"

"You really need to prove to him you can be trusted" Gaius replied.

"But…" Uther began, but a look from Gaius silenced him. Despite what he may think about most magic users he had to push that aside for Merlin. Uther took a deep breath and pushed the door open walked into Merlin's chambers. Uther stood in the doorway, watching Merlin sleep. Uther winced slightly when he saw the bloody bandages wrapped around Merlin's back. Uther slowly walked over to the chair next to Merlin's bed and sat down heavily in it. He tentatively placed his hand on Merlin's head and began to run his hand through Merlin's hair. Merlin groaned and his eyes flickered open, Merlin flashed a weak smile at Uther.

"I… I'm sorry Merlin" Uther whispered. Merlin was practically glowing when he said,

"I already forgave you." Uther felt a twinge of guilt when Merlin said that. He knew that Merlin wasn't trying to make Merlin feel bad on purpose, but he was.

"Thank you" Uther whispered. And even though he knew he was pushing it he added, "And if there is anything you need to tell me… don't hesitate to tell me…"

"It wasn't right… trying to execute that boy" Merlin whispered and Uther felt Merlin tense, waiting for the outburst. Instead Uther admitted,

"I know… that was wrong of me." Merlin looked up, clearly surprised. As much as Uther hated admitting it, he let his anger get the best of him, "I let me anger control my actions… even though I don't always show it. I value your consul and I promise to try and listen to you." A smile formed on Merlin's face as he said,

"Thank you."

* * *

><p>Uther was mildly surprised when he found Arthur waiting for Uther outside Merlin's chambers.<p>

"Arthur is there something…" Uther began but Arthur cut him off.

"How can you live with yourself?" Arthur growled, "You hurt him and you think a simple _apology_ will make everything better?" Arthur had no right to speak to the king that way, but Uther didn't have the heart to tell him so.

"Merlin isn't angry" Uther whispered, hoping to calm Arthur down, "Isn't that what matters?"

"Merlin may have forgiven you, but I haven't" Arthur growled leaving Uther alone in the dark hallway.

* * *

><p>"What should I do?" Uther asked Gaius. He wanted them to understand that all he wanted was to do what was best for them.<p>

"You need to show mercy" Gaius replied.

"What do you mean?" Uther demanded.

"I mean show magic users mercy" Gaius explained, "like restrain yourself, don't execute every magic user that comes to Camelot. And learn to control your temper. It's what caused this whole mess in the first place." Uther wanted to demand Gaius to know what possessed him to think he could talk to the king like that then stopped himself. Gaius was right; it was his temper that caused him to lass out at innocent people. Uther nodded his head, determined. He would prove to them that he could be trusted, Merlin could trust him.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**In case I don't get a chance to update before Christmas, Merry Christmas guys and happy holidays! **


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N**

** Well here is a late Christmas Present for all of my AMAZING readers! Sorry for the delay, me and my beta apparently, had a ton of stuff going on so the chapter didn't get finished until today so I hope you guys enjoy it!**

* * *

><p>Merlin was getting extremely frustrated; it had been nearly a week since the whipping but he still wasn't fully recovered yet. He slowly sat up in his bed, trying not to aggravate his back to much. Evan walked in just as Merlin got himself into a sitting position.<p>

"Good Morning, Merlin," Evan greeted cheerfully. "How are you feeling?"

Merlin was about to answer when he noticed the bouquet of flowers in Evan's hands.

"Where did you get those?' Merlin asked, eyeing them wearily. "You know how I feel about anonymous gifts after-"

"They're from Gwen," Evan assured him, grinning. "She knew you still weren't feeling great and thought they'd cheer you up."

"Oh," Merlin replied, feeling a little sheepish. "Tell her thank you, I appreciate them."

"Of course," Evan replied, putting them in a vase. "What are you doing?" Evan asked as Merlin started to stand. "Gaius says you need bed rest..."

"Do you know what tonight is?" Merlin demanded, standing up fully.

"Well yes, of course; everyone does-" Evan began, but Merlin cut him off,

"Then you should know that nothing will keep me from going tonight."

"But Gaius said-" Evan began, but once again he was cut off.

"This is the most important day in Arthur's life," Merlin exclaimed. "Nothing and I mean _nothing_ will keep me from being there for him."

"Of course, my Lord," Evan mumbled, hanging his head.

Merlin sighed, guilt welling up inside him.

"Look, Evan" Merlin began, "Arthur has been dreaming about this day almost his entire life… and ever since we were little I always promised him that I would be there for him when that day came… I can't in good conscious miss this because my back is hurting a little…"

"A little?" Evan asked, a small grin on his face.

"Ok… a lot but… can't you understand that?" Merlin asked.

"Yes," Evan admitted. "But you do realize that if there is even the slightest sign that you can't handle it I am duty bound to forcibly drag you back to your chambers."

Laughing Merlin agreed.

* * *

><p>The entire throne room was hushed as they watched Uther stand before Arthur. Arthur was kneeling in front of him, wearing his best armor and the King stood proudly over him, looking like a true King should. It took all of Merlin's willpower to keep his expression neutral.<p>

"Do you solemnly swear to govern the people of this kingdom and its dominions according to the statues, customs and laws laid down by your forebears?"

"I do, Sire," Arthur replied calmly.

"Do you promise to exercise mercy and justice in your actions and your deeds?"

"I do, Sire," Arthur replied.

Uther took a golden scepter and continued, "Do you swear allegiance to Camelot now and however long you shall live?"

Arthur took the scepter as he replied, "I, Arthur Pendragon, swear life and limb to your service and to the protection of the kingdom and its peoples."

Merlin saw a faint smile appear on Uther's face as he took a small crown from a servant standing by him.

"Now being of age and heir apparent, henceforth you shall be crowned Prince of Camelot." Uther placed the crown on Arthur's head and the whole hall burst into cheers. Merlin couldn't help the huge smile that erupted on his face. His and Arthur's eyes met; Arthur was practically glowing as he beamed at Merlin. He turned to his people.

"I don't think anyone in this room is more proud of him then you are," Evan commented, grinning slightly.

"Do you know how many times Arthur doubted himself?" Merlin whispered. "And to see him finally here-"

Before Merlin could finish, a man dressed in black armor riding a black horse burst through the window. The cheering of the crowd quickly turned to screaming. Arthur and all the knights present ripped their swords from their sheaths, prepared for a fight. The knight slowly rode between the two columns of people. Once he reached Arthur, he pulled his gauntlet from his hand and threw to the floor. The hall was silent. Merlin's heart froze in his chest as Arthur sheathed his sword and bent to pick it up. He was halted, however, when a young knight picked up the gauntlet before he could. The young knight turned to the hall.

"I, Sir Owain, accept your challenge."

"Single combat, noon tomorrow, to the death," the knight announced in a deep voice. He turned his horse and marched out of the hall at the same slow and steady pace.

* * *

><p>Merlin worriedly paced his chambers, Evan watching him wearily.<p>

"Do you know where that knight came from?" Evan asked.

"No," Merlin muttered worriedly, "I couldn't even see his crest…" Merlin knew that there was something wrong with the knight; everything about him reeked of dark magic, but he didn't dare say anything for fear of someone wondering how he knew magic was involved.

"I wonder what he's doing here…" Evan muttered.

"Who knows," Merlin agreed.

"Do you think Sir Owain can win?" Evan asked.

"We'll find out soon enough," Merlin replied.

Arthur flung the doors to Merlin's chambers, storming in angrily.

"That will be all Evan," Merlin whispered, nodding his head towards the door. Evan nodded and left Arthur and Merlin alone.

"He shouldn't have picked up the gauntlet," Arthur shouted, furious. "It should have been me."

"Well he did pick it up and now he has to fight," Merlin replied sadly.

"I know," Arthur muttered.

"And there's nothing you can do?" Merlin asked.

"No, he knew what he was doing," Arthur agreed. "I just hope he's ready for this."

"Me too, Arthur," Merlin agreed. "Me too…"

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin watched as Arthur gave Sir Owain a prep talk before the fight. Arthur kept reassuring him, telling him he could win; but Merlin could see Arthur's fear. He knew the fight going to be tough, perhaps too much for the inexperienced young knight.<p>

"The Lady Morgana asked me to wish you luck and wanted me to give you this token for good luck." Gwen presented Sir Owain with a strip of cloth, probably from one of Morgana's dresses. Smiling, Sir Owain took the token.

"Tell the Lady Morgana that I will wear it with pride, but I won't need luck."

Merlin's gut twisted in fear; it was with an attitude like that that got knights killed, and Merlin could see the same fear written plainly across Arthur's face.

Sir Owain and the black knight stood face to face in the arena. Everyone stood silently as Uther took his place in the stands, waiting for his cue to sit. Arthur stood in-between the two knights.

"The fight shall be to the knights rule; to the death." Arthur walked into the stands and stood in-between Uther and Merlin. "Let the battle commence."

Everyone sat as the two knights drew their swords. Very quickly it became evident Sir Owain didn't stand a chance, the black knight swung at him again and again, completely merciless. The crowd gasped when the knight sliced Owain's side.

"Come on Owain…" Merlin heard Evan, who was sitting next to him, mutter.

The knight continued to swing at Owain, who was pushed to his knees.

"One well aimed blow!" Arthur shouted at Owain. Owain raised his sword and stabbed the knight in the abdomen.

"Yes!" Merlin shouted, and then froze. The black knight didn't even react to the blow. Instead he swung his sword and stabbed at Owain with more energy than before. Sir Owain was knocked to the ground. The black knight stood over him then stabbed him in the heart. A loud gasp filled the arena. Gwen covered her face with her hand, and Morgana watched the scene in horror.

The knight ripped off his gauntlet and threw it on the ground saying in that same deep voice:

"Who will take my challenge?"

Enraged, Arthur stood to grab it, but was stopped by Uther. Another knight, Sir Pellinore jumped out of the stands and picked it up.

"I, Sir Pellinore, accept your challenge."

"So be it," the knight replied and walked away from the still stunned crowd. Arthur glared at his retreating back, looking just about ready to kill.


	40. Chapter 40

Merlin sat in his chambers numbly, unable to believe what he'd seen. Sir Owain was dead, and he was sure Sir Pellinore would soon be joining him. Merlin watched as Evan entered his chambers and went about his duties. He was jerked back to reality when Gaius walked in.

"Merlin, I need to check your back."

Merlin nodded his head and pulled off his shirt, lying on his stomach. He felt Gaius pull the bandages away and then brush the healing wounds with his fingertips. Merlin hissed as one of the welts stung painfully.

Evan appeared in Merlin's line of sight. "Will there be anything else my lord?"

"No, thank you Evan," Merlin replied between clenched teeth.

Evan bowed deeply before turning and leaving. Merlin hated it when Evan acted so formal towards him, but he understood that his servant didn't feel that it was proper to act too friendly towards him around other people.

"I fear we are dealing with dark magic," Gaius muttered once they were alone.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"I went down to the crypt and the tomb of Tristan de Bois was cracked open," Gaius explained hurriedly.

Merlin's stomach twisted into a painful knot when he thought of Ygraine's vengeful brother. After she had died, Tristan had come to Camelot and challenged Uther. Merlin hadn't found out about the challenge until it was too late and had to wait for hours until Uther had returned.

"But, Tristan has been dead for years," Merlin whispered.

"I fear we are dealing with a wraith," Gaius said solemnly.

"A what?" Merlin asked.

"The spirit of a dead man brought back to life. It cannot be defeated until its purpose for being brought back has been fulfilled. It wants revenge on Uther."

"What does that mean for Sir Pellinore?" Merlin asked.

"He doesn't stand a chance" said Gaius sorrowfully.

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin angrily paced his chambers, waiting to hear what had happened. Gaius had forbidden him from going to the tournament because a few wounds had reopened. Merlin whirled around when Evan breathlessly burst into his chambers.<p>

"What happened?" Merlin asked.

"Sir Pellinore is dead," Evan began, "And Arthur challenged the knight!"

Fear gripped Merlin's gut.

"What?"

"Tomorrow at noon," Evan continued. Merlin stood up and ran to Arthur's chambers. He ignored his throbbing back, ignored the indignant yells of servants and knights he pushed though. All he could think about was Arthur, his friend, his _broth__er_, going to his death. Merlin burst in to Arthur's chambers, shouting.

"You can't fight him!"

Arthur glared at him and waved his servant off.

"Why does everyone think I can't win?"

"Because _no one_ can beat him!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Everyone can be beaten," Arthur replied.

"This knight isn't even alive!" Merlin continued hurriedly.

"Of course he-" Arthur began, but Merlin cut him off,

"Gaius went down to the crypt and Tristan Du Bois's tomb was empty. He's the black knight! He's a wraith and he'll _kill_ you if-"

"I thought you at least would believe in me," Arthur snapped, furious. "But _making up_ something so _silly_ to keep me from fighting? I thought you were me friend."

"I am your friend!" Merlin exclaimed. "And I'm trying to protect you. Just _look_ at him, he doesn't eat he doesn't sleep he just stands there-"

"I'm not listening to this," Arthur said sternly.

"I'm trying to warn you-" Merlin began hopelessly, but Arthur grabbed his sword and pointed it right at him.

"And I'm warning you," Arthur growled. "Now get out."

Merlin stared at Arthur in disbelief for a minute before turning and running out.

Merlin angrily whipped out book after book; trying to find the one he was looking for. He vaguely remembered a fable about a weapon that could kill something that's already dead, but he had to _find_ it!

"What are you doing?" Evan asked, carrying Merlin's dinner over to the table.

"Arthur's is going to fight a wraith," Merlin informed him breathlessly. "I need to find a way to defeat something that's already dead…"

"Even if you could figure out how," Evan began slowly, "what could you do?"

"Just trust me," Merlin whispered, "please."

Merlin locked eyes with Evan who nodded his head slowly.

"If I remember right," Evan mumbled, "it was somewhere in here…" Evan pulled out one of Merlin's fairytale books and started flipping through the pages. "Here it is!"

Merlin grabbed the book and read the page Evan had found:

_ 'Sir Marhouse looked upon the sword from the dragon's breath…'_

Merlin froze. _From the dragons breath_…

Merlin slammed the book shut and ran out of the room.

"Thanks Evan!" he shouted as he ran out the door.

Merlin ran straight to Gwen's house and knocked on the door frantically. Gwen opened it, looking puzzled.

"What can I do for you, my lord?"

"I need to ask you a favor," Merlin began.

"What is it? I'll grant you anything, my lord… Well, not anything, of course not but… What is it?"

"I need the best sword you've got," Merlin explained hurriedly.

"What for?" Gwen asked.

"To help Arthur," Merlin explained.

Gwen nodded slowly and ushered Merlin inside. She went over to her bed and pulled something wrapped in a red cloth from underneath it. Merlin grinned when Gwen unwrapped the sword.

"My father was saving this for something important… he always said it was the best sword he'd ever made. He'll be furious when he finds out I've taken it-"

"Don't worry, this is for Arthur," Merlin assured her.

He wrapped it up and ran out of Gwen's house and back towards the castle. Merlin was careful to avoid detection as he ran down to the dungeons and to the dragons cave.

"Merlin," the dragon greeted.

"Arthur's in danger," Merlin began, hurriedly unwrapping the sword, "and he will die unless I can make a weapon that can kill the dead."

"So what do you come to ask of me?" the dragon asked.

Merlin watched as the sword floated in front of the dragon.

"Will you burnish the sword to save Arthur?"

"The dead do not come back without a reason," the dragon began, "who has he come for?"

"Uther," Merlin replied.

"Then let him take his vengeance," the dragon declared. "Then the wraith will die without my assistance."

"But its _Arthur_ who is going to fight him," Merlin explained. "You have to save him!"

"That is your destiny, not mine."

"Without Arthur, Camelot won't have an heir and I won't have a destiny," Merlin replied. "Please, help me save him."

"A weapon forged with my assistance will have great power," the dragon said gravely.

"I know-" Merlin assured, but the dragon cut him off.

"No, you can only guess. You have not seen what I have seen, and if you had you may not ask this of me."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"In the wrong hands this sword could do great evil. This sword must be wielded by Arthur and Arthur alone," said the dragon.

"I promise," said Merlin. "Arthur will be the only one to wield this sword."

The dragon nodded its massive head before letting a huge burst of flame consume the sword.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Sorry for the delay guys, but here it is! As always I love to hear your opinion on the chapter.**


	41. Chapter 41

After a minute Merlin risked looking up and stared in awe at the weapon before him. The sword looked as if it had been polished for hours, and runes were etched into the flawless metal.

"Heed my words," The dragon warned, "that sword was forged for Arthur, and Arthur alone."

Merlin nodded and plucked the sword from the air.

* * *

><p>Arthur watched the knight wearily. As much as he hated admitting it, something was definitely wrong with the knight. Even if Merlin was right, Arthur couldn't back down, not now. If he backed down, everyone would see him a coward, and he'd rather die a hero than live as a coward.<p>

Arthur turned around, surprised, when Gaius walked in.

"I brought something to help with your nerves," Gaius said softly.

"I don't need it," Arthur assured, warily eyeing the bottle. Merlin may be trusting and forgiving, but Arthur wasn't. He had trouble trusting the man who'd lied for years about what he'd been giving Merlin, why should he be trusted now? Especially since he'd tried so hard to convince him to drop out of the tournament.

"It will help you sleep," Gaius urged, making Arthur even more suspicious.

Arthur had been much more nervous about fights in the past, and Gaius had never come by with such a potion. So why was he starting now? Arthur knew that Gaius wouldn't stop trying to get him to drink it until he succeeded, so he took the potion and brought it to his lips, keeping them clamped tightly shut.

He waved Gaius out. Gaius eyed him warily for a moment before reluctantly stepping out.

Arthur immediately went to the window, dumped the contents of the bottle out and grabbed his keys. Hiding them under the pillow, he laid down pretending to be asleep. Arthur heard Gaius walk in and take the empty bottle before leaving again and locking the door.

Arthur sat up, seething. Did _anyone_ believe in him?

* * *

><p>Merlin sat in Arthur's tent, unwrapping the sword the dragon had given him. He inspected the flawless blade, still slightly awestruck by its beauty. He lifted the sword, inspecting it in the light.<p>

"That's a fine blade."

Merlin whipped around and saw, to his surprise, Uther standing there in full armor.

"It was made for Arthur," Merlin said slowly.

"He won't be needing it today," Uther replied quickly.

"Yes I will," Arthur declared, stepping into the tent.

"Arthur what-" Uther began, but Arthur cut him off,

"You had Gaius drug me!"

"It was to protect you!" Uther yelled. "I feared you would be killed and that was a risk I was not willing to take!"

"I am the one who must fight!" Arthur shouted.

"No. You mustn't," Uther begged.

"The knight's code-" Arthur began angrily, but Uther stopped him.

"Be dammed," causing Arthur to freeze. "I believed you would die and I could not risk that. You are too precious to me." Uther's voice continued to get softer as he talked. "You mean more to me than anything… more than this Kingdom, even more than my own life."

"I didn't know… I thought I was a disappointment to you," Arthur whispered.

"That is my fault, not yours" Uther assured.

"But… I still must fight," Arthur whispered.

"Arthur-" Uther began, but Merlin cut him off.

"Sire, I believe in him… he can win."

Arthur had a huge grin on his face, but Merlin couldn't look at him. Arthur's words had stung, and he wasn't sure if he was quite ready to forgive and forget. But he had promised the dragon Arthur would be the one to use the sword, and he was going to make sure that happened. Merlin held the sword out to Arthur.

"Arthur, I had Tom the blacksmith make this specially for you. It's very… Special." Merlin locked eyes with Arthur, begging him to understand what it really was, and that he did believe in him. Arthur, not breaking eye contact with Merlin took the sword, admiring the detail of the engraving in the light.

"Thank you Merlin," Arthur whispered. He flashed a weak smile before stepping around Uther into the arena with the knight. Uther slowly stepped outside after him, with Merlin following closely. Uther took his place in his stands and Merlin stood next to him.

"The competition will be to the knights rule, to the death." Uther sat down, followed by everyone in the arena. "Let battle commence."

Merlin watched with baited breath as the knight swung down on Arthur.

"Come on Arthur," Merlin breathed, fear making his gut clench painfully.

The two knights swung at each other mercilessly; the clashing of their swords creating a loud ringing that reverberated across the arena. Arthur swung at the knight's head, knocking his helmet off. The crowd gasped in fear and horror when they saw the knight's rotting flesh.

Arthur stumbled slightly in shock, his eyes frantically looking for Merlin's face in the crowd. Merlin indicated the sword in Arthur's hand. Arthur held his gaze for a minute before turning to the knight, just in time to deflect a blow to his chest.

Arthur and the knight continued to exchange blows, the crowd watching with baited breath. Merlin and the rest of the crowd gasped in horror when the knight knocked Arthur off his feet, sending his sword out of his grip, just out of his reach. The knight swung down at Arthur who only just managed to roll out of the way and grab his sword again. As the knight struggled to pull his sword out of the arena's wooden frame Arthur struck him through the heart. The knight screamed in agony before exploding into a million pieces.

"YES!" Merlin shouted, jumping to his feet and cheering along with the rest of the crowd.

* * *

><p><em>"Merlin,<em>" the all too familiar voice of the dragon called.

Sighing, Merlin slipped out of his chambers and hurried down to the dungeon where the dragon waited.

"So," the dragon began when Merlin entered, "did the sword perform as I promised?"

"Yes," Merlin replied excitedly. "Arthur won! He beat the knight!"

"Just as I said it would," the dragon agreed.

Merlin's smile faltered slightly at the thought of the Prince. Arthur hadn't talked to him or even asked to speak with him after the fight. It was like he didn't care at all that Merlin had helped him.

"What is it, young warlock?" the dragon asked.

"I tried to warn Arthur about the wraith before he fought," Merlin whispered, "but he didn't believe me…"

"Something like that would be hard for someone like him to believe," the dragon assured him.

"But even when he realized I was telling the truth he wouldn't say anything… he wouldn't even _look_ at me!"

"Then maybe he isn't ready for the power the sword contains," the dragon decided.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"The sword's power is too great for him; he does not understand the power and responsibility it holds. You must take it somewhere where none can wield it."

Merlin nodded.

* * *

><p>Merlin walked into Arthur's chambers and found him standing by the window, looking down into the courtyard below.<p>

"I'm sorry," Arthur whispered.

"What?" Merlin asked, surprised by Arthur's words.

"I promised I would listen to you… and I didn't… that stupidity would have cost me my life if you hadn't stepped in when you did. I know you did something to the sword to make it kill that thing," Arthur explained, turning to look at Merlin. "I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?"

A huge grin broke across Merlin's face.

"Definitely. But… the sword… I need to return it to its rightful owner." Merlin looked up at Arthur guiltily as he pulled the sword out and reluctantly handed it to him.

"That was probably one of the best swords I've ever fought with, but tell whoever owned this thank you. It saved my life."

Merlin nodded his head. "I will."

* * *

><p>Merlin ran through the woods, trying to find the lake he had followed Sofia and her father to. He knew it was the perfect hiding place because no one went there. When he finally found it, Merlin removed the red cloth from around the sword and flung it with all his might into the ice depths, watching it sink the bottom, never to be seen again.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So I hope this was worth the wait. Next is the Labyrinth of Gedref!**


	42. Chapter 42

Merlin angrily paced his chambers, waiting for Arthur to return from his hunting trip. Merlin had wanted to go with him on the trip, but Uther had forbidden him from doing so, despite the fact that his back had completely healed.

Merlin sighed in relief when he saw Arthur and the other knights riding through the castle gates and ran down to the council chambers where he knew he would find them. Merlin nearly ran into Arthur head on as he entered the room.

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed, beaming. Arthur flung an arm around his shoulder and Merlin laughed.

"I guess the trip went well."

"More than well!" Arthur exclaimed. "Come see this!" Arthur waved a servant forward. "Look at this; a unicorn horn!"

Rather than excitement, Merlin felt repulsed by the horn resting on the pillow.

"That's disgusting!" Merlin snapped, shoving Arthur's arm off of his shoulder.

"Oh come on…" sighed Arthur, rolling his eyes.

"That's barbaric! Killing something so innocent and…"

"Stop being such a girl, Merlin," Arthur sighed.

Merlin glared at him as he walked off to present the Unicorn horn to his father. He couldn't understand for the life of him why Arthur thought killing such an innocent creature could be good. Then he remembered the stories he'd read as a child; when someone killed a Unicorn, the person who killed it would suffer greatly for it. Merlin hoped with all his might that the stories were wrong.

* * *

><p>"I just don't understand how Arthur can stand killing something so pure and innocent," Merlin ranted. It had been a few hours since Arthur had shown him the Unicorn horn, and he was making his opinions known to his ever-loyal servant.<p>

"I hear there are only a few unicorns still alive," Evan added sourly.

"Try telling that to Arthur," Merlin growled.

"That wouldn't be very easy," Evan agreed.

* * *

><p>Merlin leaned against the window in Arthur's chambers as the Prince rambled on about the council meeting earlier that day.<p>

"Merlin, are you listening to me?" Arthur snapped.

Merlin looked up and nodded his head slowly.

"You've been acting like a wounded puppy ever since I showed you that unicorn horn," Arthur continued.

"Why did you kill it?" Merlin demanded.

"We were hunting," Arthur sighed, "it's what you do."

"Well I _hate _hunting," Merlin grumbled, causing Arthur to roll his eyes.

Before Merlin to could say anything else, there was a frantic knocking at the door.

"Enter," Arthur snapped.

The servant ran in, bowing deeply and speaking slightly reverently.

"The king requests to see you. It's an urgent matter."

* * *

><p>Merlin watched as Gaius tested the different plants that had died last night. Arthur had returned from a short trip with Uther to tell Merlin that all the crops in the kingdom had withered overnight. Gaius was now frantically trying to determine the cause of this.<p>

"What kind of disease can kill all plant life overnight?"

"Not all," Gaius corrected. "The hedges and trees were fine; it's just the crops that were ruined."

"So this is only affecting plants that we can eat?" Merlin asked, fearing the curse of the unicorn was making itself known.

"It would appear so," Gaius agreed.

"This must be the work of magic," Merlin muttered.

"We can't know for sure until I finish my tests," Gaius replied stiffly.

Merlin sighed before heading down to the courtyard. He saw the line of people who were trying to get their rations for the day. Camelot had precious little grain and needed to save every scrap that they could.

Merlin walked by the water fountain, where Gwen was standing with an empty bucket.

"Is it true about the crops?" she asked.

"Yes, but… Arthur will think of something and if not, I will."

Gwen flashed a smile at Merlin who rounded the corner, only to run back when she shouted.

"Merlin!"

He raced back to see what was wrong and saw Gwen frantically pushing the lever, but instead of water, sand flowed into the bucket.

* * *

><p>Merlin watched as Uther ran his hand through the bucket of sand that had come from the well.<p>

"Sand… And you say the well is full of it?" Uther asked.

"I sent men to the underground reservoir, but there's not a trace of water to be found," Arthur replied.

"First the crops and now this…" Uther muttered

"It's the same throughout the kingdom" Arthur confirmed.

There was no question in Merlin's mind, there really was a curse, and Uther had apparently come to the same conclusion.

"There's no doubt about it: this is the work of sorcery."

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin sat in his chambers pouring over the spell book, trying to find a way to turn sand into water. He tried to stuff the book and bucket out of view when he heard the door open, but sighed in relief when he saw it was Arthur.<p>

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

"I'm trying to turn this sand into water" Merlin muttered angrily.

"Is it working?" Arthur asked.

"I know for a fact that this is magic doing this… and whatever this is… it's much stronger than any magic I possess," Merlin explained guiltily.

Arthur sighed sadly and muttered, "I don't understand why this is happening…"

He looked up and Merlin who squirmed under his gaze. Merlin could barely stand the raw pain and emotion in Arthur's eyes. Arthur truly hated seeing his people suffer. Merlin didn't want to see him once he realized it was all his fault.

Arthur sat down heavily on Merlin's bed, dejected.

"Merlin… you didn't have anything to do with…" Arthur asked worriedly, but Merlin shook his head before he could finish.

"No… not me…"

"But you know who don't you?" Arthur asked, looking truly frightened.

_Deep down, he really knows it was him…_ Merlin realized. _H__e just doesn't want to accept it_.

Merlin opened his mouth to tell Arthur about the Unicorn's Curse, and then froze when he saw someone walk by.

"Who was that?" Merlin asked; no one was supposed to be out this late.

Arthur stood, Merlin right behind him. They stepped out into the corridor and Arthur shouted.

"There!"

Merlin saw the tip of a white robe disappear around the corner. Arthur pointed at Merlin and then the corner the robed figure had just disappeared around then himself and the other corner. Merlin nodded and ran in the direction Arthur had indicated. He nearly ran into Arthur as they came full-circle.

"Where is he?" Merlin asked.

"I didn't see him," Arthur replied.

"How could you just let him walk right by you?" Merlin demanded, shocked.

"There was no one-" Arthur began angrily.

"Are you looking for me?" a voice asked.

Merlin and Arthur whipped around and found the man they were looking for.

"I am Anhora, keeper of the Unicorns," the man explained.

"Camelot is under curfew. What is your business?" Arthur demanded.

"I have a message for you Prince Arthur," Anhora replied.

"Is it you who is responsible for killing our crops and turning our water into sand?" Arthur demanded.

"You alone are responsible for Camelot's misfortune," Anhora told Arthur, who paled slightly.

"I am?" he asked weakly.

"When you killed the Unicorn you unleashed a curse upon Camelot. This kingdom will suffer greatly," Anhora confirmed.

"Please… there must be something," Arthur pleaded. "Anything!"

"You will be tested," Anhora replied calmly. "Until you have proven yourself and made amends for killing the Unicorn the curse will not be lifted. If you fail _any_ of these tests, Camelot will be damned. For all eternity."

"What kind of tests?" Arthur asked frantically, but Anhora was gone.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** So I have a boat load of homework that I should be doing right now but updated for you! My beta will be leaving on a trip in a couple of days but I will continue to update, but the chapters won't be edited until she gets back. Just thought I'd let you guys know!**


	43. Chapter 43

Merlin greedily gulped down the water that Evan poured for him. He saw Evan painfully eyeing the extra cup. Merlin, feeling guilty, took it and poured a generous glass, practically shoving the cup into Evan's hand.

Evan was only able to just stammer out a hoarse, "Thank you!" before he too was gulping down the water.

Merlin could hardly believe it when Evan had run in with a bucket full of water, declaring that the water had somehow returned to the well. Merlin hadn't been able to talk to Arthur since the incident with Anhora; Uther had him on a strict house arrest and Arthur had been on guard duty. Merlin bent over to grab his boots and look for him and sighed when he saw a hole in the toe.

"Rats," Evan sighed, inspecting the hole. "Arthur has one is his chamber as well…"

Someone knocked on the door, interrupting Evan's train of thought.

"Enter."

Arthur pushed the door open and stepped in. Merlin turned to Evan.

"That will be all."

Evan bowed deeply and left, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone. Merlin could tell immediately Arthur had a lot on his mind.

"You okay, Arthur?" Merlin asked gently.

Arthur took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"I… I'm really starting to think Anhora was telling the truth," Arthur admitted.

"Why?" Merlin asked, but part of him thought he knew the answer.

"Last night, while I was on guard duty over at the grain cellar, a man came in and was trying to steal grain but… I let him go and gave him some for his children and as he left… he said that 'it would bring its own reward'. I thought it was just the ramblings of a grateful man but…. Then the water appeared…"

"The curse is lifting," Merlin finished. "That was your first test, and you passed it!"

"You think?" Arthur asked, looking hopeful.

"I know it," Merlin assured. "And maybe you should go seek Anhora out."

"My father would never allow it, "Arthur sighed.

"Well then don't let him find out," Merlin replied, eyebrows raised.

* * *

><p>Merlin watched as Arthur rode out to the forest, a grin on his face. He was glad that Arthur was actually listening to him. For once, Arthur was keeping his promise. He hoped that Arthur would be able to pass this mysterious test.<p>

Merlin jumped when the door was flung open and he was met with an infuriated Uther.

"Is something wrong, Sire?" Merlin asked.

"Where is he going?" Uther demanded, glaring daggers.

"How should I know?" Merlin asked, shrugging and turning back to the window.

Uther stepped back into his line of vision and growled, "He tells you everything… where has he gone?" Uther looked ready to kill.

"If you _must_ know, he went out hunting to try and see if he can catch anything," Merlin lied smoothly.

Uther was silent for a moment.

"You should trust him more," Merlin whispered, glaring at Uther. "Believe it or not, we are _not _trying to defy your every order."

Uther sighed. "Yes… I know…"

There was a knock at the door and at Merlin's command, Evan entered.

"I managed to get you some lunch, my lord."

Merlin's stomach rumbled loudly at the thought of food and Uther left without another word.

Merlin shook his head as Evan scooped out some of the muddy looking soup. It appeared that Evan went to a river, scooped out some of the riverbed and stuck it into a bowl. Merlin reluctantly took a bite and tasted an unfamiliar and very stringy piece of meat.

"What is this?" Merlin asked, trying not to make a face at the disgusting food. He needed to be grateful; at least he had something to eat.

"Just try to ignore the taste," Evan advised, a pained look on his face.

Merlin froze. "This… is rat, isn't it?" he asked.

"Try not to think about it," Evan advised, an apologetic look on his face.

Merlin took a deep breath and raised the spoon to his mouth to take another bite when someone once again knocked on his door hesitantly.

"Enter," Merlin sighed.

Morgana peeked inside. "I really hate to ask this of you but… do you have any food you can spare? There are starving people put there…"

Merlin locked eyes with Evan and both immediately offered the rat stew.

Morgana seemed delighted by the offering and asked hesitantly, "Don't you need it?"

Merlin immediately replied, "Nope, no I definitely got my fill."

Morgana must have seen the look of mild disgust on his face because she asked worriedly; "What's in this?"

Merlin and Evan hesitated for a moment.

"Rat…"

"Oh… well I'm sure the young children won't mind… too much…"

* * *

><p>The moment Uther burst into his chambers the next morning Merlin knew something was horribly wrong. He followed a flustered Uther down to the storage and found, to his horror that everything had rotted during the night.<p>

Merlin looked over at Arthur who looked pained at the sight of the food.

"So… there is no food left?" Uther asked slowly.

"There is some food in the castle storage and we are distributing rations but… it's not enough to survive," Arthur explained.

Uther sighed and, looking pained, turned to Arthur. "We need to keep our army strong… give the order to stop distributing rations."

"What?" Arthur asked, looking horrified.

"You heard me," Uther whispered.

"We can't just let our people starve," Arthur protested.

"What choice do I have?" Uther bellowed. "We must keep our army strong."

"What's the point of defending a county with no people in it?" Arthur shouted.

"We have no other-" Uther began, but Merlin cut him off,

"What if we asked for some food from the outlying kingdoms?"

"No," Uther replied flatly. "They will see us as weak and…"

"If our people are starving-" Arthur protested, but Uther snapped.

"I will not go begging for help from our enemies! Have you no pride?"

Arthur's expression darkened. "I can have no pride when my people are starving."

"Give the order," Uther snapped.

"Give it yourself," Arthur replied, turning and leaving the room.

Merlin ran after Arthur and found him on the balcony, watching as people collected their rations.

"What happened?" Merlin asked.

"I failed the test," Arthur whispered. "I saw the man who I set free. He was in the woods, boasting about how he was able to trick me and… I tried to kill him. Because of me my people will die…"

"You couldn't have known it was a test," Merlin assured gently, but Arthur wouldn't hear it.

"My people are dying… Camelot is on the verge of collapse… and it's all my fault…"


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N**

**Edit: My beta's back and fix these past few chapters!**

* * *

><p>Merlin knew Uther would be furious if he found out that he had snuck out of the castle, but he just <em>had<em> to try.

"Anhora," Merlin shouted, "show yourself! Anhora!"

Merlin turned, and jumped when Anhora appeared right in front of him, seemingly out of thin air.

"You wanted to talk with me?" Anhora asked calmly.

"I wanted to ask for your help," Merlin explained breathlessly. "People are starving, they won't survive much longer without food."

"You must believe me when I say it gives me no pleasure to see your people suffer." Anhora's face was set.

"Then put an end to it!" Merlin exclaimed incredulously. _Why would he let people suffer if he hated it and it was within his power to stop it?_

"It is not within my power to lift the curse," Anhora replied, as if reading his mind.

"Give Arthur another chance," Merlin begged. "He has accepted that this is his fault and he will prove himself worthy and lift the curse if you give him another chance."

"You have faith in Arthur?" Anhora asked.

"I trust him with my life," Merlin replied without hesitation.

After a moment's silent Anhora spoke. "Arthur must travel to The Labyrinth of Gedref. There he will face his final test." He vanished reappearing a moment later behind Merlin. "If he fails, there is no hope; the curse will destroy Camelot."

Anhora vanished again, leaving Merlin alone in the forest.

"Wait! What kind of test?" Merlin shouted.

A disembodied voice echoed through the trees.

"That is for Arthur alone to discover."

* * *

><p>"Let me come with you," Merlin begged. "You don't know what kind of test this will be, and maybe I can help."<p>

Merlin had run back to Camelot and immediately told Arthur what Anhora had said. Without hesitation Arthur had pulled on his armour and was now preparing to leave.

"No," Arthur snapped. "I brought this curse on Camelot, I will be the one to lift it… unless I die trying."

"How will you dying fix this?" Merlin snapped.

"I'll die knowing I did everything I could," Arthur replied uncertainly.

"I'm coming with you," Merlin insisted.

"No," Arthur said firmly. "You are staying here and doing what you can for the people."

"But you may need me," Merlin persisted.

"Merlin, I refuse to risk your life for my mistake," Arthur exclaimed. "Besides, Uther would have my head if I took you with."

With that, Arthur turned and left. Merlin waited for him to round the corner before following. He didn't care how much trouble with Uther he would be in if he went, nor did he care about the danger. Merlin refused to let his friend, his brother, go out there alone. Arthur needed his help, and he would risk everything to give it.

Merlin made sure to keep an eye on Arthur as he made his way to his destination. Eventually, Arthur led his horse to the entrance of what to be a giant labyrinth. Merlin tried to stay close to Arthur, but soon lost him in the immense maze.

Merlin walked cautiously, listening for any signs of trouble. He rounded the next corner and saw Anhora, turned away from him, sword poised to strike.

"You said Arthur would face a challenge, and yet here you are preparing a trap for him," Merlin growled.

Anhora slowly turned to face Merlin. "The trap is not for Arthur, it is for you."

Before Merlin's mind could process what was happening, Anhora hissed a spell, lowing the sword to Merlin's chest. Vines shot out from the hedges, wrapping themselves around Merlin's body. As he was dragged into the hedges Merlin managed to get one last glance of Anhora's cold merciless eyes.

* * *

><p>Arthur ran through the maze, desperately trying to find the way out. He wasn't sure how long he'd been running, but he knew that on the other side his test laid waiting for him. Whatever it was. <em>Maybe this <em>is_ the test,_ Arthur thought dully as he rounded the next corner.

He froze when he caught site of the beach. Arthur slowly walked towards the water, unsure of what was waiting for him there. He froze when he saw Anhora, the table, and Merlin sitting at it.

"Merlin," Arthur snapped.

"I'm sorry," Merlin whispered, hanging his head.

"Let him go," Arthur ordered. "I'll do the test but not until you let him go."

"That is not possible," Anhora replied, "because Merlin is part of the test. Please, sit."

Arthur hesitated, looking between Merlin and Anhora.

"If you refuse," Anhora continued when he saw Arthur's indecision, "you will fail the test and Camelot will be destroyed."

Arthur reluctantly dropped his sword onto the table and sat down in the seat across from Merlin.

"I thought I told you to stay at home," Arthur commented.

Merlin opened and closed his mouth several times, but no sound came out.

Arthur turned to Anhora. "Let's get on with it."

"There are two goblets before you," Anhora began. "One of the goblets contains a deadly poison, the other contains a harmless liquid. All of the liquid from each goblet must be completely drunk, and you may each only drink from a single cup."

"What kind of ridiculous test is this?" Arthur demanded. "What does this prove?"

"What it proves is for you to decide," Anhora intoned, "If you pass the curse will be lifted."

Arthur and Merlin sat in complete silence for a minute. Merlin was the first to break the silence.

"Let's think about this. What if I drink from my goblet first?"

"What if it's poisoned?" Arthur demanded. "Then you'll die."

"And if it's not you'll have to drink from yours and you'll die," Merlin continued. "There must be a way around it…"

"It's simple," Arthur replied. "One of us is going to have to die."

Arthur knew immediately that if anyone was going to die, it would be him, not Merlin. He _had_ to be the one to die; _he_ brought this upon Camelot, and _he_ was going to fix it.

If only there was a way he could ensure Merlin lived.

"We have to find a way to determine which goblet contains the poison," Arthur began. "Then I'll drink it."

"I'll drink it," Merlin corrected.

"This is my doing," Arthur argued, "I'm drinking it."

"It's more important that you live!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I'm drinking it," Arthur informed Merlin.

"No. I should. You're the future king! I'm _nothing_ compared to you," Merlin argued.

"This is no time to be a hero, Merlin, it doesn't suit you," Arthur informed him dryly.

"How about I drink from mine and if it's not poisoned I drink from yours?" Merlin suggested.

Arthur could come up with an entire list of things wrong with that plan.

"We're only allowed to drink from one cup," Arthur reminded him. "I had no idea you were so keen to die for me."

"You're my brother," Merlin whispered. Arthur felt a weak smile tug of his lips at Merlin's statement.

"I'm glad you're here Merlin," Arthur whispered.

"I've got it," Merlin declared, surprising Arthur. "We can pour all the liquid into one cup, and we'll know it's poisoned. All the liquid can be drunk and it all would be drunk from one cup."

Arthur's eyes widened when he realised he could ensure Merlin would live. He knew his reflexes where much faster, Merlin wouldn't be able to stop him.

Arthur lunged for Merlin's cup, poured the liquid into his own and drank from it.

"NO!" Merlin shouted in horror, but it was too late.

They locked eyes.

"What have you done?" Merlin breathed.

Arthur wanted to tell him _I made sure you lived_. But the words wouldn't form. His world dissolved into darkness and the last thing he thought was his wish to have been able to tell everyone one last time that he loved them.

* * *

><p>Merlin stared in horror as Arthur crumpled to the ground.<p>

"_Arthur!_" Merlin shouted in horror. Ignoring the tears that were streaming down his face he collapsed next to Arthur and started shaking him.

"Arthur! Arthur come on! Camelot needs you… I need you…" Merlin felt frantically for a pulse, and felt none. "No…no…" he whispered, unable to believe it. _Arthur c__ouldn't be dead_.

Merlin's chest clenched tightly and he felt empty. He turned as he heard Anhora approach.

"Please… Please let me take his place!"

"This was Arthur's test, not yours," Anhora replied emotionlessly.

"You killed him!" Merlin shouted. "I was meant to protect him… and you killed him…" Merlin chocked on his words, pain and rage filling up inside him.

"He's not dead, he merely consumed a sleeping draught he will come around shortly," Anhora corrected.

"What?" Merlin asked, hope filling up inside of him.

"A unicorn is pure of heart," Anhora explained. "If you kill a unicorn, you must make amends and prove that you too are pure of heart. Arthur was willing to sacrifice his life to save yours. He has proven what is truly in his heart. The curse will be lifted."

A huge grin erupted across Merlin's face and Anhora vanished.

* * *

><p>Not long after Anhora disappeared, Arthur began to stir. Merlin hovered over him, watching as he slowly blinked his eyes open. Arthur looking around the beach, clearly stunned. He sat up slowly and, unable to contain himself, Merlin flung his arms around him.<p>

"You're alive!" he yelled.

"But… I thought Anhora said it was poisoned…" Arthur asked, looking confused.

"It was a sleeping draught," Merlin corrected, pulling away from Arthur. "You passed the test."

"So that means the curse is lifted!" Arthur shouted. Merlin nodded his head and, overjoyed, Arthur hugged him tightly.

Merlin couldn't help but grin at the newfound liveliness of the city. Everyone was carrying baskets filled with food.

"Merlin!" Gaius exclaimed, running up to them. "The crops have grown back! People are bringing in the harvest!"

"Is this your doing?" Uther asked, glaring slightly at Merlin. "Is the sorcerer who did this dead?"

"He won't be bothering us anymore," Arthur informed him. "If it wasn't for Merlin I wouldn't be here right now."

Uther raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"Good, make sure the grain cells are restored," Uther ordered.

"I'll see to it," Arthur promised. He waited until Uther was out of earshot, then added, "but there's something we must do first."

* * *

><p>Later, deep in the woods, Arthur lay the unicorn horn in a hastily dug hole on top of a piece of red silk.<p>

"I should never have taken your life, for that I am sorry," He whispered.

Arthur placed another piece of silk on top of the horn and covered it with earth.

"Arthur, look," said Merlin.

Arthur looked up. And then he saw it; it was the unicorn that he had killed, alive and well.

The voice rang through the trees. "When he who kills a unicorn proves himself to be of pure of heart, the unicorn will live again."

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So up next is 'To Kill the King' can't wait for that :) Let me know what you thought of this!**


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N**

**Hey guys, sorry about the delay, I planned on updating sooner but Fanfiction was being stupid and wouldn't let me. Anyways enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Merlin jolted upright in his bed, confused. He was sure he'd felt something… Then he felt it again. Someone was using magic and, by the feel of it, it was powerful magic. But who'd be using magic in Camelot? And why?<p>

Merlin stood up and, without really thinking about it, started heading over to Arthur's chambers. But before he got there he ran into Gwen.

"Please you have to help!" she begged.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked.

"My father's been arrested!" Gwen exclaimed.

"What for?" Merlin asked.

"They think he's been making weapons for a sorcerer… they're charging him for treason!" Gwen sobbed.

* * *

><p>Merlin burst into Uther's chambers. Arthur, Morgana and Uther were already there.<p>

"Uther, you know Gwen's father would never commit treason!" Merlin exclaimed.

"He was consorting with a known enemy," Uther replied.

"Who?" Morgana demanded.

"Tauren, a member of a group of renegade sorcerers who've sworn to bring down the King," Arthur replied.

Merlin was glaring daggers at Arthur while Arthur did everything he could to not look at him.

"Where is this Tauren now," Morgana demanded.

"He escaped," Arthur admitted hanging his head.

"Then how can you be sure?" Morgana demanded.

"Because Arthur saw it with his own eyes," Uther snapped.

"Even if he was who you say he saw, you can't sentence Tom to death for just being seen with him," Morgana argued.

"We have reason to believe he was forging weapons for him," Uther replied.

"How do you know Gwen's father was actually going to help him?" Merlin demanded. "What if this Tauren was trying to convince him and he said no?"

"He was holding a solid block of gold," Arthur replied.

"So he was paid, he's a blacksmith he could have been shoeing his horse or something," Morgana replied.

"In gold?" Uther asked.

Merlin knew that Tom wasn't making weapons, because he knew magic was somehow involved, but he couldn't say that. First Uther would want to know how he knew that, and then he could be condemning Tom to certain death and maybe Merlin would follow.

"You can't execute a man for being paid!" Merlin shouted. "Especially since you have no idea what he was being paid for! You don't have proof!"

"I have enough proof," Uther snapped.

Merlin could hardly believe what Uther was doing. It was like he _enjoyed_ executing people.

"Arthur, please," Merlin begged, locking eyes with Arthur. How could Arthur kill a man for being seen with a sorcerer when he was in the same room with one whom he called his brother?

"Father, the blacksmith committed a crime but I don't think he meant treason," Arthur said slowly.

"The law must be upheld else this Kingdom will fall," Uther replied mercilessly.

"The law demands he have a trial!" Morgana exclaimed.

"And he will get one," Uther agreed, "and he will be found guilty."

"You execute Gwen's father and I will never forgive you," Morgana whispered before running out of the room.

Merlin glared at Uther before turning and leaving. Deep down he knew it was impossible to change Uther's mind once it was set on something, but he had to try.

* * *

><p>Merlin sat in his chambers trying to figure out how to help Tom. There had to be something that could prove him innocent… There was a knocking at the door.<p>

"Enter."

Evan walked in, followed by Gwen.

"Gwen?" Merlin looked up as she entered.

"I talked to my father," she informed him.

"What did he say?" Merlin asked excitedly.

"He said a man came to the forge, offered him a fortune for his help but not to make weapons, but for some kind of experiment. He said the man used some sort of stone; magic."

Merlin nodded his head and left his chambers, quickly heading over to see Gaius's. Merlin burst in startling Gaius who asked,

"Merlin, is something wrong?"

Merlin quickly explained how earlier that night something had woken him up; how he'd felt someone use magic. He then explained Tom's arrest, the gold they'd found on him and what Gwen had told him.

"I just don't get it, what did Tauren want with Tom," Merlin finished

"His forge, it's the finest in the kingdom," Gaius replied automatically.

"Do you think Tom really was making weapons?" Merlin asked.

"No," Gaius replied, "I don't."

"Then what?" Merlin asked.

"When they arrested Tom they found gold on him right?" Gaius asked.

"So? What does that have to do with this?" Merlin asked.

"Well if what Gwen said was true, then Tauren's experiment had all the trademarks of alchemy," Gaius explained.

"Alchemy's impossible, isn't it?" Merlin asked.

"To change the very nature of one thing to another have defeated all who have tried it," Gaius admitted. "But if you use magic…"

"Do you think that's what woke me?" Merlin asked.

"It's possible."

* * *

><p>Merlin found himself telling everything he'd learned from Gaius to Arthur the next morning.<p>

"Tom wasn't committing treason, he was tricked! We have to-" Merlin froze when he felt the same magic he'd felt the night before.

"Merlin? What's wrong?" Arthur asked, seizing Merlin's shoulders.

"Someone's using the stone…" Merlin whispered. Just as suddenly as he felt it, it vanished. Merlin sighed. "It's gone…"

Arthur shook his head sadly.

"I know Tom would never help someone take over the kingdom but… You and I both know Uther only sees enemy's."

"So there's no hope for Tom," Merlin whispered.

"None," Arthur agreed.

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin watched with a pained expression as Gwen ran after the wagon holding her fathers body.<p>

"_No!"_ Gwen sobbed. "Father!"

Merlin slammed the window shut and stormed to the throne room. Enraged, he burst into the throne room where Morgana was already screaming at Uther.

"You have blood on your hands, Uther Pendragon! Blood that will never wash off!"

"May I remind you that you are speaking to your king?" Uther replied icily. But Merlin knew that neither he nor Morgana cared.

"A king must be wise and just, you are neither," Merlin countered.

"You kill first and ask questions later," Morgana added.

"Neither of you understand what it's like to be king," Uther replied. "The fate of Camelot rests in my hands. It's my job to protect the people of this land from its enemy's."

Merlin could hardly believe his ears. How could he justify killing a man who was simply running away. According to Evan Tom even surrendered to the guards who'd killed him.

"Then we're all doomed as you make enemies of us all, one by one," Morgana growled.

Uther froze.

"You speak treason Morgana," the King said calmly.

"Only a madman sees the truth as treason," Morgana countered darkly.

Merlin felt a shiver of fear travel up his spine at her words. Sometimes Morgana's actions could be... worrying. Merlin prayed she never succumbed to the darkness that seemed to lurk within her.

"Take care, child, or I'll have you restrained," Uther growled.

"You'd restrain someone for speaking their mind?" Merlin exploded.

Glaring, Uther called in the guards and had them drag both Merlin and Morgana to the dungeons.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So do you still like Uther? Please let me know what you thought!**


	46. Chapter 46

Merlin tried to ignore Morgana's shouting as he attempted to figure out what Torren was planning. He couldn't fathom why Tauren was trying to make gold. Gold couldn't dethrone Uther, weapons would… Merlin's mind had been going in circles for most of the day; he would always end up right where he started again.

"This is wrong" Morgana growled. "How can he call us a friend when he locks us up like common prisoners?"

Merlin sighed. "I don't-" Morgana cut him off.

"He's a cruel dictator! He cares not for his people or his country only his power!"

Merlin knew Morgana was being a bit extreme, but couldn't help but agree slightly with her. He did have a tendency to do what was best for _him_. Merlin jumped when the door banged open.

"Come to gloat?" Morgana demanded. Her eyes bore into Arthur's with a stony expression.

Arthur's eyes scanned Merlin and their eyes met. Not breaking eye contact Arthur said, "Guards, release them."

Shock was evident on Morgana's face as the guards released unlocked the shackles.

"Morgana, I promised Uther you'd learned your lesson… that you would never defy him again. I don't know if I can help you again so tread carefully."

"Thank you," Morgana whispered, her eyes softening ever so slightly. "You always were a better man then your father."

Merlin grimaced as he stood, stiff from sitting on the cold floor for so long.

"Thanks," Merlin whispered.

"Be careful ok?" Arthur asked.

"I'm always careful," Merlin teased.

* * *

><p>Merlin stiffly walked back to his chambers and jumped slightly when Evan exclaimed,<p>

"Merlin! What happened?"

"Nothing," Merlin lied, trying to hide his wrists that had been rubbed raw.

Evan raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Well nothing a hot bath wouldn't fix."

"My lord what happened?" Evan asked, looking genuinely worried. "I heard you and Morgana where thrown in the dungeons…"

Merlin was touched by Evan's concern, but he truly was fine.

"Uther threw us in the dungeons yes," Merlin sighed. "He doesn't like his authority to be challenged."

"Anyone could have told you _that_," Evan whispered, causing a faint small to grace Merlin's lips.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Merlin lay in bed contemplating what Gaius had told him. Their initial guess as to what Tauren was doing had been right. Gaius had found something about an alchemist's stone, with the ability to change any substance into another. It had been lost for over a thousand years in a war-<p>

Merlin sat up when he felt it again, but this time he knew it was the stone that was calling him. He quickly pulled on his boots and stood, deciding to just follow his gut instinct.

Merlin hurried to the castle gates and froze when he saw a figure wearing a very familiar cloak running through the courtyard towards the woods. He was easily able to follow Morgana through the town and into the forest, never once did she look back to make sure no one was following her.

Merlin grew more and more concerned the deeper into the woods she travelled. Eventually, Morgana stopped in the middle of a clearing and kept looking around worriedly. Merlin's heart froze as a group of men slowly surrounded her with their swords pointed at her.

"Where's your maid?" the man whom Merlin assumed to be the leader, and possibly Tauren, demanded.

"I-I've come in her place," Morgana stammered.

Merlin's mind whirled as he watched what was happening. _What did Tauren want with Gwen?_

"Kill her," Tauren replied.

"Wait! I brought the stone!" As she frantically tried to pull the stone out, Tauren glowered.

"And what else have you brought my lady? The knights of Camelot?"

"I came alone I promise you," Morgana assured breathlessly.

Merlin prayed that Morgana could somehow get out of this alive. He could use magic to help her, but he didn't want to face off Torren and his men who were more than likely magic users as well.

"Give me the stone," Tauren ordered.

Morgana immediately complied. From her cloak she produced a brown pouch which Tauren opened and peered inside to ensure that the stone was in there.

"You where foolish to come here," Tauren informed Morgana, his men raising their swords. "I had no quarrel with your maid, but you, the Lady Morgana, you are Uther's ward."

Tauren ripped out his sword and pointed it right at her heart, and Merlin feared a battle would soon ensue.

"If you kill me you'll regret it," Morgana informed him calmly.

'Why's that?" Tauren asked, keeping his sword trained on her.

"Because I want Uther dead too," Morgana replied smoothly.

Merlin stifled a gasp.

"You?" Tauren laughed, "an enemy of the king? And I'm to believe that?"

"Why else would I be here?" Morgana demanded, eyebrows raised.

Merlin could hardly believe what he was hearing, Morgana really wanted Uther dead for this? Yes he'd messed up but that didn't mean he deserved to die.

"I can only guess your motives my lady," Tauren replied calmly. "You could be a spy for all I know."

Merlin hoped that Morgana was simply trying to escape with her life, not really trying to kill Uther.

"And this?" Morgana asked, showing Tauren her injured wrists. Merlin rubbed his own absent-mindedly. "Is it usual for Uther to chain his friends to a dungeon wall?" Morgana's bitterness shone through, and Merlin didn't have a shadow of a doubt, she really wanted Uther dead. Morgana and Tauren locked eyes for several long minutes. Slowly, Tauren lowered his sword.

"The stone," Morgana began. "You took it to the forge. Why?"

"With it a man can alter the very essence of a thing," Torren explained. "It can turn a lump of lead into gold."

Merlin could practically see Morgana's shocked expression.

"Gold?" she snapped. "A good man died in your quest for riches, Tauren, and now his daughter is an orphan."

Merlin could hardly believe she was doing all of this to avenge Gwen's father. He was surprised when Tauren's hard face softened ever so slightly,

"I am sorry for that, truly. For we did not simply want the gold to line our pockets, it was but a means to rid this land of Uther Pendragon once and for all."

Merlin's heart clenched at hearing this; hearing Morgana talking about Uther's death; Uther, a man who was like a father to him. Murder

"What are you saying?" Morgana asked, looking worried.

"Bribery is ripe in Camelot," Tauren explained. "I will use the corruption in the heart of his kingdom, and a bundle of gold will buy me into the King's chambers, even to the king himself…"

"The guards may be fools but the king is not," Morgana informed Tauren.

"So you have a better plan?" Tauren asked, sheathing his sword.

"To get to Uther you need someone close to him," Morgana whispered.

"And you know of such a person?" Tauren asked.

Merlin knew it was coming, but his heart shattered when Morgana replied, "I do: me."

Merlin could hardly believe it. Morgana was now a full blown traitor.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So who's worse? The heartless Uther or the treacherous Morgana? Review and let me know what you thought!**


	47. Chapter 47

Merlin was tense as he ate breakfast with Uther the next morning. A part of him wanted to tell the King everything, but another knew that Uther would think he was lying and throw him in the dungeons again.

"Is something wrong, Merlin?" Uther asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"I'm fine," Merlin assured, forcing a weak smile.

"Is this about what happened yesterday?" Uther asked.

"It's nothing," Merlin assured.

"Merlin, I… I overreacted," Uther said regretfully. "I was being unfair and I was wrong."

"What?" Merlin asked, surprised.

"I'm sorry for what I did," Uther explained. "You have always been my best council… much like your father. I promise I'll try and listen to you more."

"Thank you, Sire," Merlin whispered. Maybe he could stop Morgana, how could she stay mad if she found out Uther was sorry?

Merlin quickly made his way to Morgana's chambers and knocked loudly on the door.

Morgana opened the door and grinned. "Merlin, how nice it is to see you."

Merlin quickly stepped around Morgana, a serious expression on his face.

"Is something wrong?" Morgana asked, looking genuinely concerned as she shut the door.

"Uther… he apologised for what he did…" Merlin began.

Morgana's face fell. "Yes but does he really mean it?" she snapped.

"Maybe," Merlin admitted, shocked by her response.

"Why are you telling me this?" Morgana demanded.

Merlin's heart fell when he saw her icy expression.

"He just seemed genuinely sorry," he mumbled. "He's…messed up a lot but…"

"Maybe he won't be able to make any more mistakes?" Morgana interrupted.

"What?" Merlin asked his heart skipping a beat.

"Arthur will be a much better king then Uther ever was," Morgana continued. "Maybe his time is coming sooner then we think."

"Are you… What's going on?" Merlin asked, quickly covering for his near slip up, but Morgana didn't even notice.

"Torren is up to something… who knows if we'll stop him," Morgana replied, looking _happy_ at the thought of Uther's demise.

Merlin turned and practically ran out of Morgana's chambers and headed towards the dragon's lair. Once there, he saw that the dragon was asleep and cleared his throat loudly to get his attention.

The dragon slowly stood, stretching his wings as he did so.

"Well, young warlock," the dragon greeted, a mocking tone in his voice, "what is it you've come to ask of me?"

"The sorcerer Tauren is plotting to kill the king. He's made an ally of Morgana and I don't know what to do."

"Do nothing," the dragon replied, sneering.

"What?" Merlin asked, horror struck. "If I do nothing Uther will die! How can I stand by and let the man who's like a father to me be killed?"

"Uther kills innocent people! He persecutes your kind!"

"But that doesn't make it right to kill him!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Only when Uther dies will magic return to the land!" the dragon declared. "Only when Uther dies will you be free! Uther's reign has come to an end! Let Arthur's reign begin! Fulfil your destiny!"

The dragon stretched his wings and took off.

"Wait! Where does my destiny include murder?" Merlin shouted, but the dragon ignored him and left him alone in the dark cave.

* * *

><p>Merlin nervously paced Arthur's chambers, wild thoughts whirling around his head. His hands trembled and he wrung them, trying to calm himself down. No matter what he did, people would get hurt. Whether it was Morgana, getting punished for treason; or Uther, if Merlin did nothing.<p>

Arthur watched Merlin, worry evident on his face.

"Merlin? Is something wrong?"

"No," Merlin replied, too quickly.

"Merlin," Arthur said in a warning tone, "I've known you practically my entire life. Don't think you can lie to me."

"If something were to happen to Uther," Merlin began desperately, "do you think you'd be ready to be king?"

"What?" Arthur asked, clearly confused. "Why…"

"Would you?" Merlin snapped.

"I… yes… maybe… Merlin, what brought this up?" Arthur asked.

"Is Uther a good king?" Merlin asked. His thoughts where moving faster than his head could keep up with.

"Well yes-" Arthur replied.

"Even though he kills innocent people?" Merlin demanded.

"Well he doesn't always get things right but he has brought peace and-" Arthur began, but Merlin didn't let him finish.

"At what cost?" Merlin shouted. "How many more innocent men, woman and children have to die?"

Merlin sat down on Arthur's bed heavily, his whole body trembling.

"Merlin? Is this about Gwen's father?" Arthur asked gently, sitting down next to him.

"What if I'm next?" Merlin demanded hysterically. "I mean… when will this end?"

Merlin wasn't sure what to think anymore. The dragon's words made him doubt Uther. He was right: what would Uther do when he found out about Merlin's magic?

Arthur wrapped a reassuring arm around Merlin. "One day Uther will be ready to know about your magic… and don't worry, we will catch Torren."

Merlin looked at him in surprise, and Arthur laughed. "I can tell you're worried about that, why else would you ask if I'm ready to be king?"

"Yeah…" Merlin agreed, laughing nervously. For a minute he had feared Arthur would find out about Morgana.

Merlin quickly stood before Arthur could ask any more questions. "Thank you Arthur…" he said, "but I have to go. Uther, um, wanted to see me…"

"Okay," Arthur replied looking entirely unconvinced. "If you need anything just… come and talk to me okay? I can help."

"I'll remember that," Merlin promised. "This is just something I have to figure out on my own…"

"Whatever's going on, I know you'll make the right decision."

Merlin nodded his head before running out of Arthur's chambers.

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin watched as Morgana, Uther, and a group of knights rode out to her father's grave. He had overheard Morgana talking to Tauren the night before, and he knew that only she would be coming back.<p>

Merlin didn't know what to think; if Arthur was king Merlin could be free, but did Uther really deserve to die?

Merlin was startled out of his thoughts when Gwen approached.

"Merlin?" she asked.

"Gwen, are you alright?" he asked, trying to force a smile at her.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Gwen replied gently.

"Fine, I'm fine…" Merlin replied, shrugging.

"Evan's worried about you," Gwen whispered.

'What, did he send you?" Merlin asked darkly.

"No, I just saw you here and… well I thought you could use a friend…" Gwen explained gently.

Merlin shook his head his, thoughts running wild.

"Morgana's been amazing these past few days," Gwen said.

"I think you've been amazing," Merlin whispered. "After all that's happened… getting your life back together…"

Gwen shrugged slightly. "It's better than sitting at home waiting for my father to return." Gwen turned away from him and continued tearfully, "I think the hardest thing to bear is that people will always think he's guilty because he tried to escape…"

"I know he's innocent," Merlin assured, and he meant it.

"I think he tried to escape because he knew whatever he did or said he'd be killed. Uther had already made up his mind, that's the kind of man he is," Gwen whispered.

Merlin froze, his mind racing. Slowly, he said, "I wouldn't blame him if you wanted him dead…"

Gwen thought about it for a moment. "If Uther died I'd feel nothing. He means nothing to me," she declared.

"If you had the choice… what would you do?" Merlin asked slowly. "If you could kill the king, would you do it?"

"Of course not!" Gwen exclaimed. "What would that solve? That would only make me a murderer."

Merlin knew in his heart, right then, what he was going to do.

"You're right."

Merlin ran out of the room without saying another word. He burst into his chambers, grateful that Evan wasn't there, grabbed Sofia's old staff and ran in the direction Morgana and Uther had ridden off. Merlin ran like his life depended on it; like Uther's life depended on it. Every mistake, all the harm he'd done didn't matter; because despite all that Uther was the only father figure Merlin had left, and he wasn't about to lose him.

Merlin saw the horses grazing and ran over to where they were, only to find the guards already slain. He frantically looked for Uther and Morgana, and found some of Tauren's men. Merlin ran to where they were, knowing they would be near Uther. He easily took out the two men with the staff, uttering two quick spells that send out bolts of blue lighting at them.

Merlin soon spotted Uther and Morgana kneeling at Goloris's grave, but he kept a wary eye out for Tauren.

Tauren suddenly appeared and Merlin shot a bolt of lightning at him. Before Merlin realised what was happening, Tauren raised the stone; stopping the bolt and sending it right back at him. Pain erupted in Merlin's chest and darkness consumed him.

* * *

><p>Merlin groaned and his eyes shot open. He stumbled to his feet, his mind whirling. Was he too late? Was Uther already dead?<p>

Merlin grabbed his staff and ran up the hill. When he reached to top, he found Tauren lying on the ground, dead, and Morgana holding Uther tightly, sobbing. Merlin sagged against a nearby tree in relief, tears leaking out of the corner of his eyes. He hadn't failed, Uther was alive.

* * *

><p>Later, Arthur walked into Merlin's chambers and exclaimed,<p>

"Did you hear? Tauren tried to assassinate Uther!"

Fighting back a grin Merlin replied, "That's what I heard."

"And Morgana saved him," Arthur continued, looking like he suspected something.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Merlin agreed.

"How many were there? Three? Four?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised.

"Probably," Merlin agreed shrugging.

"She must have shown extraordinary courage to defend the king against so many men," Arthur continued.

"I bet," Merlin replied.

"I don't suppose you had anything to do with this?" Arthur asked.

"No, why would I?" Merlin replied, but he knew Arthur knew he was lying.

"No need to be so modest," Arthur teased.

"Sorry?" Merlin asked.

"That was a compliment," Arthur corrected grinning.

"Thanks," Merlin replied, flashing another grin in return.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So how was it? Why did Morgana go back at the last second? Thoughts? Next is Le Morte De Arthur, that should be VERY interesting. **


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N**

**The chapter was ready a while ago but I was just too busy to update…so sorry about that. Also my beta is finally back! So this chapter is edited.**

* * *

><p>Merlin sat in his chambers, bored out of his mind. He was sick of being locked up in his room. He had gone with Evan down to the market and Uther had been furious, and had banned Merlin from going with Arthur on his hunt.<p>

"Looks like the hunting party's returning," Evan informed Merlin, staring out the window.

Merlin ran to the window, excited, but when he caught site of Arthur he immediately knew something was wrong.

"Something's happened…" Merlin muttered, running down to the council chambers.

Arthur always reported to Uther after a hunt, and Merlin hoped to catch him before he got there. Unfortunately, Arthur had finished talking by the time Merlin got there and only just heard Gaius say,

"…you described Arthur sounds like a Questing Beast."

Merlin's stomach clenched; if what the stories he'd heard where true, Questing Beasts were nasty creatures.

"Surely they're just a myth?" Arthur asked incredulously.

"According to the old books the appearance of a Questing Beast is supposed to signify a time of great upheaval."

Merlin didn't doubt Gaius's words for a second. Uther, on the other hand, seemed to have his doubts.

"Gaius, that's an old wives tale," Uther scolded.

"Look, whatever it is, its spreading panic," Arthur interjected, "people fear it will enter the city."

"Then we must kill it," Uther declared. "Arthur gather your best knights."

Arthur locked eyes with Merlin and Merlin nodded his head slowly.

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin walked into Arthur's chambers and quickly explained what Gaius had told him.<p>

"The Questing Beast apparently is of the old religion, the heart of it: the power to mirror life and death itself," Merlin quickly explained, "If you're bitten, you die. There is no cure."

"So I'm guessing you want to come?" Arthur asked, picking up his sword and inspecting it carefully.

"I am coming," Merlin declared.

"How are you going to convince Uther?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised.

"Gaius will tell Uther I've gone to gather herbs," Merlin replied, shrugging.

"And you think this will work?" Arthur asked.

"It has to," Merlin replied. "You are not facing this by yourself. What if magic is the only thing that can stop it?"

Smiling, Arthur replied, "Well… Strangely enough I feel better knowing you'll be there."

"Really?" Merlin asked, grinning.

"I just… I fear something terrible is going to happen and I just like knowing someone I can trust will be there."

* * *

><p>"You've seen the foe we face!" Arthur said gravely. "It's a creature of nightmare, but you are the best knights in the realm. We can and will kill it before it can harm another citizen of this Kingdom!" Arthur pulled out his sword and raised it. "For the love of Camelot!"<p>

The knights present raised their swords and shouted in unison.

"For the love of Camelot!"

Merlin heard the doors bang open and Morgana burst out.

"Arthur!"

"Morgana, what's-?" Arthur began sheathing his sword, concern evident on his face.

"You cannot face this!" Morgana shouted, trying to grab Arthur, who grabbed her hands.

"Morgana go back to bed. There's nothing to be worried about," Arthur assured gently.

"Arthur, I had a terrible dream! You cannot go!" she sobbed breathlessly.

"She's been having nightmares," Merlin whispered to Arthur. "I'll take her to Gaius…"

"No! I won't let you go!" Morgana shouted.

"Please get her inside," Arthur told Merlin who grabbed her and started to pull her inside.

"I will make sure he's safe…" Merlin assured her.

Evan appeared on the steps and took her from him, whispering soothing words to her, but she continued to fight all the way up the steps and into the castle.

"No! No please!" she yelled.

Merlin felt a small pang of fear settle in the pit of his stomach but pushed it away. He had to focus.

* * *

><p>Merlin, Arthur, and the knights slowly crept through the woods, eyes and ears alert for the slightest movement that would give away the beast's presence.<p>

Arthur knelt down and started at a very large print in the ground.

"Just another trail…" Arthur muttered, looking disappointed.

Then they heard something walking heavily through the forest, and by the sound of it, it was huge.

"Keep close," Arthur whispered as they slowly approached the sound. They soon reached a cave. The sound echoed from its depths. They all entered the cave, Merlin lighting a torch, followed by several other knights. They all split into pairs and went in separate directions, Merlin going with Arthur. They both froze when they heard a strange hissing.

"Is that the…?" Merlin whispered.

"Shh!" Arthur snapped, silencing Merlin. They heard a growl behind them and slowly turned, and met the beast face to face.

Merlin froze at the sight of the beast, and Arthur shoved him out of harm's way. Arthur swung at it and Merlin clambered up a nearby ledge and started waving the torch around like mad when he saw the beast had knocked Arthur to the ground.

"Hey! Hey!" Merlin shouted, getting the beasts attention. Merlin noticed Arthur's discarded sword and barked a few spells, causing the sword to erupt in blue flames and it flew into the creature's side, setting it on fire and causing it to collapse to the floor, screeching. After writhing on the floor for a few seconds it stilled, but Merlin wasn't paying attention. His focus was on Arthur, who still hadn't stirred.

"No, no…" he whispered, running to Arthur's side. "It didn't bite you. It didn't bite you…" Merlin kept chanting, hoping, praying, that it wasn't true. He shook Arthur frantically, and drew his hand back in horror when he felt something wet. He raised his hand and found it was covered in blood.

"Arthur!" Merlin shouted, fighting back tears. "Somebody help me!"

* * *

><p>Merlin ran to Gaius's table and unceremoniously flung everything off the table. Several knights set Arthur on the now cleared surface.<p>

"What happened?" Gaius demanded. He bent over Arthur and continued. "He's been bitten…"

"I tried…" Merlin whispered. "There must be something…"

"I wish there was…" Gaius replied, trailing off.

Merlin shook his head and ran at breakneck speed to his chambers. He grabbed his spell book and ran back to Gaius. Merlin set the book on the table.

"The king will be here any moment!" Gaius shouted.

"He can't die!" Merlin shouted back. "It's my destiny to protect him! No matter what the cost for me. There is so much we still haven't done…"

"That is the lament of all men," Gaius sighed, turning his attention back to Arthur.

"Gaius!" Merlin shouted. "Please he's… he's the only family I have left and I can't lose him."

"Then save him!" Gaius whispered.

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the pages of the book began rapidly turning, his eyes quickly scanning them. The pages stopped and Merlin quickly uttered the spell. Nothing happened, but he refused to give up. The pages started turning again until they stopped at a different spell and Merlin shouted it, again to no avail.

"The bite of the questing beast is one that no magic can overturn," Gaius informed Merlin sadly.

"No…" Merlin whispered.

In the background he heard Uther shouting.

"Where is he? Where is my son?"

Merlin didn't move, couldn't move. The realization that Arthur, the man who'd was practically his brother was going to die seemed to freeze him to the spot. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gaius close the spell book and place another book on top of it, but Merlin doubted Uther would have noticed.

Uther grabbed Arthur and held him to his chest.

"Gaius, do something!"

"I am doing everything I can," Gaius assured.

"Gaius will find a cure, he won't let Arthur die!" Merlin shouted.

"I will do everything in my power to help him," Gaius agreed.

Uther immediately bent over and draped one of Arthur's arms around his shoulder and picked him up.

"I'll take him to his chambers."

Merlin let the tears fall freely as he silently followed Uther through the courtyard. He slumped against a nearby wall when Uther collapsed to the ground, crying. Four knights took Arthur from the King and carried him away.

Merlin slowly walked over to Uther as Gaius helped him to his feet. He took a deep breath and with determination, ran to the dragons' cave. There just had to be a way to save Arthur, he refused to give up.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So I reposted the edited versions of the last several chapters so if you want to re-read them you can finally see the edited version.**


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N**

**So here's the edited version, also this ep will be four chapters rather then three.**

* * *

><p>Merlin wasn't surprised when he found the dragon was already waiting for him,<p>

"I've failed Arthur!" Merlin shouted, "failed in my destiny…"

"And yet you would not be here if that were true," the dragon corrected, giving Merlin a small shred of hope.

Maybe he could still save Arthur. But that hope vanished just as quickly as it had come.

"He's been bitten by the questing beast! He's going to die!" Merlin replied.

"Does he still breathe?" the dragon asked.

"Only just…" Merlin replied.

"Then there is still time to heal him," the dragon insisted.

"I tried!" Merlin exclaimed. "I cannot save him!"

"No, you simply do not know how to save him," the dragon corrected.

"But you can tell me how?" Merlin asked, hope welling up inside his chest.

"Perhaps, but it will not be easy," the dragon warned.

"I will do anything to save him," Merlin replied without hesitating. "just tell me what I have to do."

"Very well…" the dragon replied.

* * *

><p>Merlin raced through the halls to Gaius's chambers, the dragon's last words echoing through his mind: "The young Pendragon must live, no matter what the cost."<p>

"Merlin, what…?" Gaius began, but Merlin wouldn't let him finish.

"I need your help."

"With what?" Gaius asked, eyebrows raised.

"To save Arthur," Merlin replied.

"How are you going to do that?" Gaius asked worriedly.

"The curse comes from the old religion and the cure must come from it as well. There's an island past the white mountains…" Merlin began.

"No!" Gaius shouted.

"… Called the Isle of the Blessed…" Merlin finished. "You knew about this? And you didn't tell me?"

"It's too dangerous!" Gaius exclaimed.

"I have to save Arthur!" Merlin insisted.

"What will you do, Merlin?"

"I will ask for Arthur to be saved," Merlin replied.

"Arthur was bitten by the Questing Beast, it means the Old Religion has decided his fate," Gaius explained.

"Then I will ask them to change it!" Merlin exclaimed.

"It's not that simple!" Gaius shouted, causing Merlin to pause. "The high priest has the power to mirror life and death but there will be a price to pay. They will demand a life in return. Please Merlin; I beg you, don't do this."

"I'm sorry, Gaius, but I have to save Arthur and I will gladly pay the price. Will you help me?"

Gaius was silent for several tense minutes before slowly letting out a deep sigh.

"Please, Merlin. Uther will…" Gaius begged.

"You're going to tell Uther?" Merlin asked darkly.

"No! I just don't want to see you do this," Gaius replied.

"And I can't let Arthur die," Merlin countered. "Not when I can save him."

Gaius hung his head in defeat and slowly walked to the back of his room. He pulled a worn looking paper out of a drawer.

"Here. You'll need a map."

Smiling, Merlin took the paper from Gaius.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Merlin had already turned to leave when Gaius shouted, "Wait!"

Merlin froze and slowly turned to face him. Gaius handed him something wrapped in a brown piece of cloth. Merlin removed the cloth.

"My mother gave it to me..." said Gaius, "It's a rabbit's foot…."

"To keep you safe?" Merlin asked, smiling.

"It was said to protect you from evil spirits…Rubbish. I don't believe in superstition. I don't even know why I gave it to you…"

Gaius reached to take it back but Merlin pulled away.

"No, I want it."

Gaius smiled in appreciation. "I just want you to be safe…"

"I know," Merlin assured, "but Arthur's life is worth ten of mine." Merlin turned to leave but he didn't miss Gaius whispering,

"Not to me…"

* * *

><p>Merlin knew this next part would be tricky. If he could convince Evan to help him sneak out, Uther would be none the wiser. Merlin was sure if Evan didn't say anything, the King would be too worried about Arthur to notice Merlin's absence. Or he hoped so, anyway.<p>

Merlin hurried to his chambers, hoping Evan would be there. He pushed open the door and Evan jumped up from cleaning the floor.

"I heard about Arthur… and I'm so sorry, I know this must be really difficult," he said.

Merlin flashed him an appreciative grin. "Thank you, Evan. That means a lot… Can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, anything!" Evan replied without hesitating.

Merlin, on the other hand, did hesitate. Did he really want to get Evan involved in this? When Uther found out Merlin was gone anyone involved would get into serious trouble…

"I think… maybe… I found a cure for Arthur…" Merlin began slowly.

"That's great!" Evan exclaimed. "You should tell the King and-"

"I have to get it," Merlin cut in.

"Why you?" Evan asked, looking genuinely concerned. "Why not a knight, or Gaius even?"

"Please, just trust me. It has to be me," Merlin replied. "I just need you to go on pretending like I'm still here in front of Uther; don't tell anyone that I've gone somewhere. If anyone asks, tell them I'm very ill. No one will question it."

"Won't they want to have Gaius…?" Evan asked, but Merlin quickly assured him.

"Gaius knows I'm going."

"And he agreed to help?" Evan asked.

"Yes," Merlin replied.

Evan was silent for several tense minutes and Merlin was sure he'd refuse. He sighed in relief when Evan replied;

"Don't worry, you can count on me."

"Thank you," Merlin said appreciatively, before running down to the stables. He quickly saddled his horse and jumped onto its back.

Merlin forced himself to go through the city slowly, but once he was outside the city gates he pushed his horse as hard as he dared; he didn't want to risk running his horse to the ground.

Merlin kept reciting the dragon's instructions to get to the island in his head, hoping to take his mind off of Arthur sick, dying…

Merlin shook his head and pulled out the map Gaius had given him. He was making good time, but he feared that he wasn't moving fast enough. Merlin kept telling himself Arthur was still alive, he had to be; he would know it if he had died.

Soon, Merlin found himself riding through a dark forest and spotted a musky lake with a thick mist surrounding it. He jumped off of his horse and tied it down before slowly approaching a small boat with a tattered black flag hanging from a short mast. Merlin stepped inside the boat and muttered a quickly spell, causing the boat to glide forward.

Through the mist he spotted an island with what appeared to be the ruins of a castle on it. The boat continued through the ruins and stopped at a strange archway.

Merlin slowly got out of the boat and started walking, unsure what he was looking for. After a few minutes, he felt something magical nearby. Merlin's gaze was drawn to a large stone set in the centre of the courtyard; it practically radiated magic. He slowly looked around, hoping to spot someone.

"Hello?" Merlin shouted.

"Hello, Merlin," an icy voice greeted. Merlin whipped around and saw Nimueh. Standing by the alter.

"You," Merlin breathed.

"So you know me," Nimueh replied.

"You killed my parents," Merlin growled, glaring at her darkly. "You tried to kill me."

"That was before I truly understood your destiny," she replied calmly.

"You nearly killed Arthur…"

"And now it seems that I will be his salvation," Nimueh replied, smirking.

"How can I trust you?" Merlin demanded, "When my mother came to try and save Arthur's mother you killed her."

"It was Ygraine's time to die, it was pointless for your mother to try to do anything," Nimueh replied, sneering. "Besides, Arthur will die without my help."

"You know why I'm here?" Merlin asked.

"Arthur must live," Nimueh replied. "It is not his time to die."

"Will you help?" Merlin asked hesitantly, wondering still if he could really trust her. Then he thought of Arthur, dying, and decided that it was worth the risk. He didn't have a life without Arthur anyway.

"I do not have the power to mirror life without taking one in return. The balance must be kept," Nimueh responded.

"I willingly give my life for Arthur's," Merlin replied without hesitating.

"How brave you are Merlin," Nimueh replied, sounding almost impressed. But Merlin also didn't miss the sarcastic tone in her voice as well. "If only it where that simple."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"Once you enter into this bargain it cannot be undone," Nimueh warned.

"I will do anything to save Arthur!" Merlin shouted, his voice softened when he added. "His life is worth a hundred of mine."

Nimueh reached to the alter, grasped the air and pulled out a gold cup.

"The cup of life," Nimueh explained, "blessed with the power of centuries of powerful sorcerers; it contains the very secrets of life itself. If Arthur drinks water from the cup he will live."

Nimueh held out the cup to Merlin, who hesitantly took it from her. Immediately she shouted a spell, causing the sky to cloud over and rain to start pouring. When the cup was full the rain stopped and, grinning, Nimueh took the cup and poured its contents into a silver flask.

"The bargain is struck."


	50. Chapter 50

Merlin rode his horse though the forest harder then he'd ever ridden a horse before. He knew Arthur was running out of time. He had to get back to Camelot quickly. Soon the walls came into Merlin's sight and he pushed his horse even harder. He unceremoniously flung the reigns of his horse at the stable boy and hurried through the castle.

Without thinking about it, Merlin ran to Arthur's chambers, knowing Arthur needed the water. He was surprised when he found Gaius tending to Arthur.

"Has anyone noticed I was gone?" Merlin asked.

"No," Gaius replied slowly. Relieved, Merlin pulled out the flask and handed it to Gaius.

"We need to give this to Arthur."

"What is it?" Gaius asked.

"Water from the cup of life, if Arthur drinks it he will recover!" Merlin exclaimed. When Gaius still hesitated Merlin demanded, "What are you waiting for?"

"Whose life did you offer?" Gaius demanded.

"It doesn't matter, everything will be fine!" Merlin exclaimed.

Gaius sighed and Merlin gently lifted up Arthur's head while the physician poured the water down his throat.

"What are you doing?" Uther asked, startling them.

Gaius looked to Merlin before responding,

"It's an ancient remedy for poisonous bites."

"An antidote?" Uther asked, looking hopeful.

"It is our last resort," Gaius confirmed.

Uther slowly walked over to the bed and started down at Arthur sadly.

"We should let him rest Sire."

"No, I'm not leaving him," Uther replied firmly.

Gaius bowed and left, Merlin following him closely. Suddenly a hand reached out from behind an alcove and dragged Merlin behind it.

"Please Merlin you must beware," Morgana whispered, fear laced through her words, "this is only the beginning."

* * *

><p>Merlin sat beside Uther, quietly watching Arthur. He saw Arthur slowly lift his head, blinking his eyes and looking around the room in confusion.<p>

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, a huge grin erupting across his face.

"What happ-" Arthur began but was cut off when Merlin flung his arms around him, tears streaking down his face.

Merlin reluctantly backed away so Uther could be alone with Arthur. Before he shut the door behind him, he saw Uther clutching Arthur tightly.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Merlin heard the thunder booming outside his window as the rain fell. The elation of Arthur waking up had long since worn off, and the fear had settled in the pit of his stomach. Merlin clutched the rabbit foot in his hands, unable to fall asleep.<p>

He heard the door creak open and saw a hooded figure limping towards him, a hand outstretched…

Merlin quickly sat up, chest heaving. Sunlight streamed in through his window, the rabbit foot clutched in his hand. The door flung open and Arthur strode in.

"Merlin, are you alright?"

"Why am I still alive?" Merlin mumbled.

"What?" Arthur asked concern evident on his face.

"Why didn't Evan wake me?" Merlin asked, jumping out of bed and ignoring Arthur.

"Merlin, what's…?" Arthur began but never got a chance to finish. Gwen burst in.

"Merlin! Come quickly!" she cried.

"What's happened?" Merlin asked.

"It's Evan."

Gwen quickly led Merlin to Evan's house. Arthur wanted to come, but was stopped by Uther. Gwen refused to say what was wrong, only that Merlin was needed. She pushed the door open and Merlin was surprised when he found Gaius bent over one of the beds. Merlin slowly approached him.

"Gaius, what's wrong?"

"Merlin, don't come any closer!" Gaius exclaimed, but Merlin ignored him and walked up to the bed.

Lying on it, completely still, was Evan.

* * *

><p>Merlin angrily ran though the castle, Gaius hadn't questioned him when he'd run out of the house at top speed, having assumed he was simply upset about Evan.<p>

"You knew!" Merlin shouted when he reached the cave.

"I knew the price would be a heavy one," the dragon admitted.

"And yet you sent me anyway," Merlin growled.

"We need Arthur to live," The dragon exclaimed.

"I am not one of you!" Merlin shouted.

"We are both creatures of the old religion; it is the source of your power," the dragon informed Merlin.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Merlin demanded.

"It is your destiny to protect the young Pendragon until he takes the crown and when he does magic can return to the realm. Only then will I truly be free. When Uther's tyranny comes to an end we will no longer need to hide from the world! I will finally be free of this prison!"

Realization hit Merlin like a ton of bricks; the dragon didn't care about anything but himself.

"So that's all you care about," Merlin whispered. "I thought you were my friend."

"I am more than that Merlin," the dragon replied. "I am your kin."

"No. Arthur's my family… and you made me kill my friend…" Merlin whispered.

"Arthur must live," the dragon declared. "Aren't you tired of being locked away like some prisoner?"

"What does magic have to do with that?" Merlin demanded.

"Uther fears you will fall into the hands of every sorcerer who seeks revenge. So he hides you away, much like me."

"It doesn't matter," Merlin shouted, "I will never help you!"

The dragon roared in fury and let out a jet of flames which Merlin easily blocked with a quick spell.

"You will never see me again," Merlin growled. He left, the sounds of the dragons roars echoing behind him.

* * *

><p>Merlin sat in Gaius's chambers, thinking hard.<p>

"I didn't mean… I offered up my life, not his…" Merlin whispered.

"I wish there was more I could do," Gaius admitted.

"I have to fix this," Merlin whispered. "Evan shouldn't die because of my mistake."

"There is nothing you can do," Gaius said softly.

"If the balance of the world must be kept then Nimueh must take my life…" Merlin argued.

"No, Merlin, you cannot do this," Gaius replied hurriedly.

"I won't let my friend die," Merlin insisted. "I must go to the island now…" He stood, but Gaius grabbed his arm.

"No, your destiny and your gifts are too precious to sacrifice for a servant…"

"He is not just a servant!" Merlin shouted, "He was there for me when no one else was. Nimueh was supposed to take my life, not anyone else's, I will make her fix this!" Tears streamed down his face as he continued, "you taught me how magic is supposed to be used; for good, to help people. But most importantly, you taught me that I must do what is right. I have to say goodbye to Arthur…" Merlin stood and left Gaius sitting in his chair, thinking hard.

* * *

><p>"Merlin," Arthur greeted, grinning; then stopped when he saw Merlin's face. "Is something wrong?"<p>

"Nothing," Merlin assured, turning away from him.

"Merlin," Arthur warned.

"I just… I was really scared that you'd die and…" Merlin couldn't stop the tears that broke free and he kept his face hidden, not wanting to look weak in front of Arthur.

He felt a strong, reassuring hand on his shoulder and looked up hesitantly, but Arthur wasn't laughing, he actually looked almost happy.

"I didn't know you cared so much," Arthur teased, smiling kindly.

"Of course I care… you're the only family I have…" Merlin replied, trailing off.

Arthur wrapped his arms around him.

"It's over now… I'm sorry you had to go through that…"

"That sounds very self-absorbed," Merlin teased weakly.

"And here I was trying to make you feel better," Arthur teased, tightening his grip around Merlin.

Arthur held Merlin for another minute before reluctantly letting go.

"Merlin? What was the whole 'why am I alive?' thing all about?"

"I just… it was a nightmare… I got bitten by the questing beast and…." Merlin trailed off, unable to continue. He hated lying to Arthur, but he knew Arthur would never let him go if he knew the truth.

"I really am sorry… Gaius told me you were really upset about all of this…" Arthur began.

"It's alright," Merlin assured, cutting him off, "I should go, Uther wanted to see me."

"Alright, do you want to go out for a ride tomorrow? Well if Gaius will let me" Arthur asked. Merlin knew Arthur would worry if he refused so he replied,

"Yes, definitely." But deep down, he knew he'd never be able to do so. Merlin quickly left Arthur's chambers, there was only one thing left for him to do, it was time to say goodbye to Evan.


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N**

**So my beta is back and the chapter is now edited :D**

Merlin walked slowly to Evan's house, unsure of what he was going to say or do when he got there. He just knew that he had to talk to his friend.

He knocked on the door to Evan's house and a woman, whom he assumed to be Evan's mother opened the door.

"Oh. Hello, my lord." She hastily bowed.

"Is it ok if I see Evan?" Merlin asked.

"Of course, my lord!" she exclaimed, stepping aside to let Merlin inside. She smiled kindly at him, but Merlin could also see the inner turmoil she was going through. She'd already lost one child; Evan's death would destroy her. The revelation made Merlin even more determined to fix the mess he'd caused.

Gwen, who'd been watching Evan stood and turned to Merlin.

"Gaius needed to get some supplies. He asked me to keep an eye on him until he got back."

"Thank you for being such a good friend," Merlin whispered.

"I'm so sorry," Gwen whispered, "I know he was a good friend-" Merlin cut her off.

" He'll get better."

Gwen was silent for a minute. "I've tried to make him more comfortable," she whispered.

"You've such a good heart Gwen," Merlin said with a small smile. "Don't ever lose that."

There were so many things he wanted to tell Arthur, Gwen, Evan, Gaius, even Uther, but he didn't have the time and he didn't want to worry them.

Gwen smiled, looking a little uncertain, before stepping out of the room to give them some privacy.

"I'm going to make you better, you'll see," Merlin whispered.

Evan's eyes slowly flickered open and he groaned.

"Wha-?"

"It's going to okay, I promise," Merlin continued. He then gently placed the rabbit's foot in Evan's hand and stood. "You've been a great friend… thank you."

Before Evan could summon the energy to ask any questions, Merlin left.

Merlin wanted to leave that minute, but realized he forgot the map Gaius had given him. So he ran back up to his chambers as quickly as he could to get it. Once he got there, he saw a note with Gaius's handwriting sitting on the table. Without really thinking about it Merlin picked up the letter and quickly, not paying much attention to what the letter was saying. He froze.

…_and to sacrifice myself would be an honor…_

Merlin's heart stopped in his chest as he quickly reread the letter.

"No," Merlin whispered, Gaius was going to sacrifice himself. "No!"

Merlin ran to the stables as fast as he possibly could and carelessly flung the saddle onto his horse. He ignored the shouts of the guards as he galloped past; all he could think about was Gaius dying for his mistake. Unbeknownst to him, Arthur stood beside Morgana, watching him as he galloped out of the city, fear written plainly across both of their faces.

Merlin rode through the forest, not caring if he killed the horse in the process. He jumped into the boat and barked out a spell. The boat slowly glided across the lake, Merlin willing it to go faster.

As he approached the archway he could clearly hear Nimueh shouting a long, complex spell.

Merlin jumped out of the boat and ran to the courtyard. He saw Nimueh standing next to Gaius's still form; she was holding the cup of life above her head as she chanted.

Without thinking, Merlin shouted, "Stop!"

"Back again so soon, warlock?" Nimueh asked, looking smug. She set the cup down on the alter and slowly started walking over to Merlin.

"What have you done?" Merlin whispered.

"Your friend is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?" she asked.

Merlin glared at her. He knew he shouldn't have trusted her.

"Have you killed him?" Merlin asked, choking slightly on his words.

Despite everything he'd done, Gaius didn't deserve to die. Not like this. Not because Merlin had failed.

"It was his wish," Nimueh replied, not looking like she cared.

Merlin stumbled back slightly.

"I bid my life for Arthur's! Not Evan's! Not Gaius's!_ Mine_!"

"The old religion does not care who lives or dies!" Nimueh shouted, her voice echoing off the old ruins. Her tone softened as she continued. "Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life a life must be taken, Gaius knew this." Nimueh glanced down at Gaius's body smugly.

"It is not the old religion that has done this it is you!" Merlin declared, completely unafraid.

"Come now," Nimueh whispered, smirking, "we're too valuable to each other to be enemies."

Merlin felt uncontrollable rage and pain fill up inside of him.

"No! I share nothing with you!" Merlin shouted enraged. How could she even think they had anything in common?

"Together we can make Arthur king!" Nimueh declared.

"I will make Arthur king!" Merlin replied, more confidently then he felt. "But you will never see that day."

Merlin shouted a spell, sending a fireball at Nimueh.

Smirking, she raised a hand, easily stopping the flames.

"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin," she declared, waving her hand through the air causing a fireball to form in her hands.

Merlin felt a wave of fear as she continued.

"I am a high priestess of the old religion."

Merlin was only just able to dive out of the way of the fireball that she sent towards Merlin. A wall exploded, causing huge chunks of rock to fly at him.

"You too are a creature of the old religion," she continued softly as Merlin slowly got to his feet. "You should join me."

Nimueh held another fireball menacingly in her hand as she watched Merlin, waiting for his reaction.

"You think I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic?" Merlin asked. "Never."

"So be it," she replied menacingly, sending the fireball spinning at Merlin.

The fireball hit him square in the chest sending him to the floor. Merlin lay there, groaning in pain.

Nimueh stood over him grinning evilly. "Pity," she sighed. "Together we could have ruled the world." And then she left him there to die slowly.

Gathering all his strength Merlin forced himself to open his eyes and slowly get to his feet.

"You should not have killed me friend," Merlin whispered menacingly.

Nimueh just smirked as Merlin raised his hand towards the sky. She looked up when she heard lightening flash and saw clouds rapidly gathering overhead.

Merlin slowly lowered his hand, causing lighting to strike Nimueh over and over again until she exploded in a bright flash. Rain started to pour out of the sky as Merlin ran over to Gaius.

"Gaius! Gaius…No, No!" Merlin slumped over, crying when Gaius didn't even stir. Gaius was gone. Merlin had failed.

Merlin felt Gaius stirring slightly.

"Merlin?" Gaius asked, barely audible.

"Gaius? Gaius, you're alive!" Merlin shouted, flinging himself on top of the elderly physician.

"What did you do?" Gaius asked tiredly.

"Nimueh's dead!" Merlin exclaimed. "The balance of the world has been restored."

Gaius blinked. "You amaze me Merlin… you've mastered the power to mirror life and death itself!"

"Huh?" Merlin asked, confused and slightly scared.

"You may be the greatest warlock yet," Gaius continued, clearly in awe of Merlin's power.

"So you believe in me now?" Merlin asked.

"I'm sorry, Merlin," Gaius whispered. "For everything."

"I already forgave you," Merlin assured.

Merlin hesitantly knocked on the door to Arthur's chambers, afraid. Even though he was a powerful warlock and Arthur a normal prince, Merlin was afraid of his wrath. Even more so than Uther's.

Gaius had simply told Uther that Merlin had gone with him to collect herbs, and Uther had been none the wiser.

At Arthur's command, Merlin pushed open the door and stepped inside. Arthur looked up and a look of relief flashed across his features.

"Merlin!"

Arthur pulled him into a bone crushing hug and continued, "I thought… I was worried that you'd done something stupid…"

"I did do something stupid…" Merlin admitted reluctantly.

Arthur pulled back and looked at him reproachfully.

"What did you do?"

Merlin took a deep breath and reluctantly explained everything that had happened since Arthur had been bitten. Arthur glared at Merlin when he admitted he tried to give up his life for Arthur's.

"What were you thinking?" Arthur exploded when he explained how he went back again to save Evan. "He's a servant and you…"

"He's not just a servant!" Merlin shouted. "He's my friend and I couldn't let him die!"

"He was actually there for you," Arthur muttered defeated.

"He was a friend when you couldn't be there," Merlin whispered. "I couldn't let him die; it's my responsibility to protect you…"

"Why?" Arthur demanded. "Why you? Who decided that you had to get yourself killed for me?"

Merlin locked eyes with Arthur and saw fear and pain in his eyes. Arthur didn't want to see Merlin get hurt because of him.

"Arthur… I promise one day I will explain everything but… now… now just isn't right…" At the moment, Merlin wanted nothing to do with the dragon, and he knew that if he told Arthur about the dragon he'd want to meet him, and that would directly conflict with Merlin not seeing the dragon again.

Arthur reluctantly nodded his head in silent agreement and Merlin finished explaining.

"She said I was a creature of magic," Merlin mumbled once he'd finished sitting down heavily on Arthur's bed, "like I was some monster… Like I wasn't human…"

"You are not a monster," Arthur said sternly, sitting down next to him. "I've known you your entire life. There is nothing monstrous about you."

"But they both-" Merlin began, before stopping abruptly having almost told Arthur about the dragon. "This isn't the first time this has happened…"

"Well they're all wrong," Arthur replied placing a hand on Merlin's knee. "You are the kindest person I've ever met. What kind of monster cries when he sees a little bird with a broken wing? Or hates eating meat?"

Merlin grinned slightly and whispered, "Thanks."

Arthur patted Merlin's knee. "Anytime… but I believe there is a certain servant you need to talk to."

Arthur grinned when Merlin groaned. It was going to be a long day.


	52. Chapter 52

Arthur and Merlin sat on Arthur's bed, much like they had when they were kids, talking about pure nonsense. Neither had been able to sleep because of all the noise the digging was causing. They didn't have many chances to talk this much because of all the duties Arthur had to attend to and, though they appreciated being able to spend time together, both would have much rather been asleep.

Merlin couldn't help but jump slightly when a loud boom echoed throughout the castle. "Honestly! What possessed Uther to order the men to work all night?" he snapped.

"I have no idea," Arthur sighed. "He must be deaf or something. I mean, how else could he be getting any sleep?"

"I wish I was deaf," Merlin grumbled, causing Arthur to laugh.

"Oh but that would take away the… fun of not getting any sleep for days on end!" Arthur replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"It should be illegal to have this much fun," Merlin agreed.

Arthur frowned slightly. "Listen."

Merlin heard it too. Or rather, he didn't. He didn't hear anything.

"It's… quiet…" Merlin whispered, worried.

"Too quiet," Arthur agreed.

"Maybe Uther was sick of the noise?" Merlin suggested, but he didn't really believe it; Uther was far too suborn. He'd rather suffer the noise and lack of sleep then admit it was a bad idea to have the men working all night.

"Impossible," Arthur muttered, then froze when the warning bells started ringing.

A feeling of dread rose up inside Merlin as he locked eyes with Arthur. Both instinctively knew it had something to do with the mines below Camelot, so both hurried down; it would be a waste of time going to Uther first.

They had just entered the tunnels when a stream of men shoved past them, screaming.

"Well, we're in the right place!" said Merlin, grinning slightly.

"I had no idea," Arthur snapped back playfully.

They hurried through the tunnels until they saw a strange opening. Arthur peered inside, followed by Merlin, and they found what appeared to be an ancient crypt filled with jewels and a stone tomb in the center.

"I wonder what scared them off," Merlin mumbled.

He spotted a figure kneeling next to the tomb. Arthur approached the man slowly.

Something about the room felt wrong to Merlin, and his gaze swept over to a strange blue heart shaped stone set in the middle of the tomb.

"Hello?" Arthur asked, causing Merlin to tear his gaze away from the strange stone. When the man didn't respond Arthur touched his shoulder. The man fell sideways to the floor.

Merlin gasped when he saw the man's face: deathly pale, his features etched into a look of pure horror.

"I think I have your answer, Merlin," Arthur whispered, sounding just as horror struck as Merlin felt.

* * *

><p>"How do you think he died, Gaius?" Arthur asked, kneeing next to the man. Merlin looked over at Gaius and saw that he too was entranced by the strange stone.<p>

"Any idea whose tomb this is?" Merlin asked, snapping Gaius out of his thoughts.

"None," Gaius replied.

"Think it might be cursed?" Merlin glanced at the dead man.

Gaius didn't respond as he stepped towards the tomb. Merlin saw the stone sink down and an arrow shot flew from the beak of a seemingly ornamental bird statue. Without thinking about it, Merlin sent a gold plate flying, knocking the arrow of its course.

"You just saved my life!" Gaius gasped. "Thank you!"

Merlin gaped at the bird.

"Looks like we've found something you're good at!" Arthur grinned.

Merlin ignored the comment, and let the plate drop when he heard Uther approaching. The plate rolled to the King's feet. Uther raised an eyebrow, glancing at Merlin who looked away, embarrassed. Merlin knew that Uther thought he was stupid sometimes, and everyone knew he was clumsy, but he still hated seeing the look of disappointment on his guardian's face whenever he messed up.

"This is quite a find," Uther commented, looking around the room and taking in all the gold that was piled inside. "See, Gaius, I was right; there is treasure to be found under Camelot. Whose tomb is this?" Uther's eyes wandered to the strange blue jewel. "Gaius?"

"I will have to look into it, Sire," Gaius replied.

Uther had already started to leave when he noticed the crumpled body lying on the floor.

"How did he die?" The way he said it made Merlin's blood boil; it was like he didn't even care!

Merlin looked over at Arthur who slowly shook his head. Merlin could see the fury in his eyes but remained silent.

"He seems to have unwittingly triggered a trap," Gaius replied.

"To deter grave robbers," Arthur added.

"There is plenty in here people would want to steal," Uther agreed. "Have the tomb sealed. Guarding it is your responsibility, Arthur."

Uther glanced over at Arthur, who replied calmly, "Yes, father."

Merlin could tell Arthur was tired of having all the hard work thrown at him, but he also knew the Prince would take it without complaint. That was his job, after all.

* * *

><p>Merlin and Evan walked into the courtyard and watched as Arthur got on his horse, and promptly fell off of it when his saddle turned over. The horse galloped off and Merlin frowned slightly when Arthur started yelling at the poor stable boy.<p>

"Would you like me to get it done properly sire?" a man asked, walking up to Arthur with the reigns to the escaped horse.

"Thank you," Arthur replied stiffly.

"It's an honor to help serve the prince." The man smiled.

Merlin rolled his eyes, and grinned slightly when Evan grumbled, "Boot licker."

"No kidding," Merlin agreed. Something about that man didn't sit right with him; there was something shifty about his manner.

"Allow me the honor of brushing your clothes down, Sire," the man continued as he pulled out a brush and started cleaning Arthur's clothes. Merlin could tell Arthur was fighting the urge to roll his eyes as the man brushed him down.

"What's your name?" Arthur asked.

"Cedric," the man replied. "I've come to Camelot in search for work."

Merlin had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Merlin whirled around when Uther replied,

"You can come with us, we're short decent servants." Merlin frowned when Uther looked pointedly at the stable boy before turning to Cedric.

"I'm so sorry," Evan whispered to Merlin as he helped Merlin saddle his horse.

"Shoot me now," Merlin agreed as Cedric got down on his hands and knees so Uther could use him to get into his saddle.

"Uther would have me hanged," Evan apologized.

"Your point?" Merlin teased causing Evan to smirk slightly. As much as Merlin didn't want to, Uther was forcing Merlin to go with them on the patrol to 'see what it's like'. Merlin secretly thought it was so Uther could keep a close eye on him, but he couldn't be sure.

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin tried not to complain as the group rode through the forest. It was sweltering out and Merlin was sweating like crazy, he felt ever worse for Arthur and the knights who had to wear their full armor as well. Arthur signaled the group to stop when he heard a strange rustling noise and signaled one of his men to hand him a spear as he got off of his horse. Merlin dismounted just as giant boar started charging at them. Arthur flung the spear, which the boar easily knocked out of the air. The Prince stumbled back and the boar ran at them.<p>

Merlin rolled his eyes when he saw Cedric dive behind a tree, cowering. He noticed one of the knight's discarded spears and whispered a spell, sending it flying at the boar. The spear buried itself deeply into the boar, killing it instantly. The boar collapsed right in front of Arthur.

"Who threw that?" Arthur's gaze swept across the group, finally meeting Merlin's.

Merlin started to nod when Cedric loudly coughed and Uther asked,

"Was it you?" Arthur and Merlin both looked over at Cedric who shrugged before nodding his head.

"You just saved my sons life!" Uther exclaimed.

Merlin stared at Cedric, disbelief written plainly across his face. _How could Uther believe _Cedric_ the coward did that?_ Merlin looked over at Arthur who was frowning as well. Merlin knew Arthur wanted to tell Uther that Merlin had thrown the spear, but Uther knew Merlin wasn't holding a spear, while Cedric had been, and both wanted to avoid the awkward questions that would arrise if they did tell Uther the truth.

"It was nothing, Sire," Cedric assured rolling his shoulders.

"I am forever indebted to you," Uther replied. "You must be rewarded!"

"No…" Cedric replied slowly, "I couldn't possibly."

Merlin instantly knew that Cedric was just playing Uther, trying to get _something_ from him. But what he wasn't sure _what_.

"Come on," Uther encouraged. "What do you wish for?"

"I desire only one thing sire," Cedric began.

"Anything," Uther replied.

"A position in the royal household," Cedric replied.

"Consider it done." Uther assured causing Arthur to grimace slightly, Merlin knew this wouldn't end well.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**What a boot licker! Arthur knows what Merln did but still has to put up with him... what will happen?**


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N**

**Sorry for the wait, this chapter was difficult to write and I just didn't have time to write on top of all that. But I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Also In case you where wondering, someone finally noticed/pointed out the misspelled title so if that confused you I'm sorry about that.**

* * *

><p>Arthur angrily flung his sword onto the table once he reached his chambers, Merlin awkwardly trailing behind.<p>

"Can you believe him?" Arthur bellowed.

"Look, just wait a few days and you can fire him…" Merlin assured gently. Uther had made Cedric Arthur's personal manservant, much to Arthur's dismay. "Besides, you can use him as a practice dummy during training," Merlin added, grinning when he saw the corners of Arthur's mouth twitch slightly.

There was a knock on the door and Arthur grumbled, "Enter," and sighed in relief when Gaius walked in.

"Have you found anything?" Merlin asked.

"The tomb is that of Cornelius Sigan," Gaius replied.

Merlin shuddered slightly; everyone knew about Cornelius Sigan, he was something of nightmare to most people in Camelot. He had been the most powerful sorcerer that had ever lived.

"I found a strange engraving on the scepter. I can't figure out what language it is…"

"Could it be dangerous?" Merlin asked.

"I can't know for sure until I know what it says," Gaius replied somberly.

"If he's dead why are you so worried?" Arthur asked.

"Before his death, he became obsessed with trying to overcome death itself," Gaius explained.

"And you think he might have succeeded?" Arthur asked.

"Let's hope not," Gaius replied.

"Have you told my father?" Arthur asked.

"He won't listen," Gaius sighed.

"Then we need to make sure no one touches anything in there," Arthur declared.

* * *

><p>The next morning Merlin slipped into Arthur's chambers and found Cedric feeding Arthur a feast. He was piling Arthur's plate with rich foods. Arthur looked slightly green; he hated eating rich foods, and Cedric either failed to notice, or had decided to ignore it.<p>

"Uther wants to see you," Merlin announced loudly.

Arthur immediately stood, looking slightly relieved. "Of course. Cedric… clean this food up."

Cedric frowned slightly before bowing deeply.

Merlin and Arthur hurried down the corridor.

"So what does my father want?" Arthur asked.

"Nothing," Merlin replied, grinning.

Arthur froze in his tracks, a grin forming on his face.

"You're welcome."

"Thank you!" Arthur exclaimed, walking at a much slower pace. "Did you see all the food he brought?"

"There was enough there to feed a small army," Merlin agreed.

"Good morning Sire, my lord," Gwen greeted politely as she walked past.

"Is something wrong, Gwen?" Merlin asked noticing the bags under her eyes.

"Morgana had another nightmare last night," Gwen whispered,

"Is she alright?" Merlin asked.

"She was just frightened by the dream," Gwen replied.

"Please tell her that we're both worried about her and that we hope she feels better," said Merlin, looking sympathetic.

"I'll make sure to tell her."

Merlin and Arthur walked out to the courtyard and were met with utter chaos. Guards and citizens alike were frantically running around, either chasing or being chased by horses.

"Aren't those the palace horses?" Merlin asked.

"They are," Arthur agreed, running to the stables.

Merlin was shocked to find the stable boy on the ground fast asleep. Arthur glared at the servant.

"I should have known," he muttered darkly.

That was when Merlin noticed a strange bundle in the corner. He walked over to it and picked it up, sniffing it before reeling back, almost blacking out.

"I don't think it's his fault!" Merlin exclaimed. "I think someone did this on purpose. Probably Cedric."

"Merlin, I know you don't like him but he was in my chambers all morning. How could he have-"

"Look!" Merlin exclaimed, tossing the bundle at Arthur. "Smell it."

Arthur tentatively lifted the bundle to his face and sniffed it, stumbling back slightly as he did so.

"Okay, so it's not the servant's fault. That doesn't make it Cedric's fault either…"

The stable boy groaned and slowly sat up, blinking in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Arthur demanded.

"I um…" the boy stammered when Cedric walked in.

"Please, Sire, the boy's probably tired."

Arthur looked over at Merlin who stared at him pleadingly. Arthur sighed tiredly.

"Go home, Josh. Get some rest. Come back tomorrow."

"But Sire-" Josh protested but Arthur cut him off.

"Go!"

Josh stumbled out of the stables, refusing to look anyone in the eye. Once he was gone Arthur continued, "And Cedric, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in my chambers? Cleaning?"

"I heard the commotion, Sire, and came to see what was going on."

"Well, get back to work," Arthur snapped.

Cedric bowed deeply, almost mockingly, and left without another word.

* * *

><p>Merlin sighed as Arthur angrily paced his chambers, something that was quickly becoming a habit for him. There was a knocking at the door and Arthur said,<p>

"Enter."

Gaius hurried in.

"I've translating the inscription!" he exclaimed.

"What does it say?" Merlin asked excitedly. Arthur looked intrigued as well.

"'_He who breaks my heart completes my work_,'" Gaius replied.

"So, what does that mean?" Arthur asked.

"Remember the glowing stone?" Gaius asked.

"Yes," Merlin replied.

"The stone contains Cornelius Sigan's soul," Gaius explained.

"So… he's alive?"

"His soul is," Gaius confirmed, "but the soul needs a body to truly live."

"So, if someone removes the stone… Sigan's soul possesses them?" Merlin asked.

"I'm afraid so," Gaius confirmed.

* * *

><p>Merlin laid in bed, tossing and turning, unable to get any sleep. His worry over Gaius's words prevented him from calming down. He sat bolt upright, startled. He felt some sort of powerful magic being used, and he feared he knew what it was.<p>

Hurriedly Merlin threw on some clothes and ran to Arthur's chambers. He burst into Arthur's chambers, shouting as loudly as he dared in the middle of the night.

"Arthur get up! Something's happened! _Get up!_"

"I'm up, I'm up…" Arthur slurred sleepily.

"Someone's using magic!" Merlin exclaimed.

Frowning, Arthur reached over to the drawer for his keys and recoiled.

"They keys are gone!"

Arthur and Merlin ran down to the tunnels, past the unconscious guards and into the tomb. They stared at the spot where the stone had been, dumbstruck. It was empty.

Merlin spotted something next to the cracked crypt. He walked over to the object and picked it up.

"Arthur… look…"

Arthur walked over and looked at the object in Merlin's hand; it was the jewel, but something was wrong with it. Rather than the vibrant blue it was before, the stone that had been set in the tomb was crisp white.

Sigan was free.


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N**

** Once again I have to thank all of my amazing reviewers and my awesome beta, you all rock! ****This was another one of those very difficult episodes…. But now that I think about it, very few where easy so…. Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Arthur quickly ordered a passing guard to sound the warning bells and hurried to the throne room, Merlin hot on his heels.<p>

"What do we do?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Arthur admitted. "Right now all we can do is wait and see what happens."

"And has that _ever_ worked out for anyone?" Merlin asked, eyebrows raised.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Arthur demanded.

"Lock up Cedric," Merlin replied easily.

"Merlin we don't _know_ that Cedric's the one who tried to steal the jewel," Arthur scolded.

"Oh come on! You and I _both_ know he did," Merlin replied.

"I know," Arthur admitted, "but my father doesn't so we'll just have to wait for Sigan to strike."

"But will it be too late for Camelot?" Merlin asked.

Arthur didn't reply.

* * *

><p>Merlin sat up in bed, the warning bells clanging and the sound of screaming echoing around the castle. He hastily threw on some clothes and ran to the throne room. He flung the doors open and found the room was already filled with injured people, Gaius and Gwen running around trying to tend to them all.<p>

"Merlin!" an angry voice snapped, "What are you doing here?"

Merlin turned towards the voice and saw Uther stalking towards him.

"I'm sorry, Sire," Merlin began. "I heard the bells and came to see what was happening."

Uther eyed Merlin for a minute before sighing, "The castle in under attack."

"By who?" Merlin asked.

"A sorcerer," Uther replied,

"Who?" Merlin asked, getting frustrated.

"We don't know," Uther replied. "Someone used magic to enchant all the statues to start attacking people." Uther sighed, looking worn down and utterly exhausted.

Fear gripped Merlin as he thought about Arthur having to fight those things. Whoever had decorated the castle had quite an imagination.

"Can they be beaten?" Merlin asked as a loud crash echoed through the hall.

"There has to be a way," Uther whispered.

The castle shook violently and a large crack appeared in the walls. Merlin was surprised to see Morgana running around as well, tending to the wounded. She paused for a minute to talk to Gaius before continuing on, a determined look on her face.

"Arthur!" Merlin shouted as the Prince staggered in, his shoulder bleeding heavily. Merlin ran over to him, Uther following him closely.

"Were you able to stop the monsters?" Merlin asked worriedly.

Arthur shook his head, "They've taken control of the lower town…"

"How many dead?" Uther asked gravely.

"Too many to count," Arthur replied, pain lacing his words.

"I'm sealing off the citadel," Uther informed them.

"What?" Merlin, Arthur, and Morgana yelled simultaneously.

"I have no choice!" Uther shouted. "I have to protect the people who have a chance of surviving!"

Arthur stood as Gwen finished wrapping a bandage around his shoulder and stalked towards the door.

"What are you doing?" Uther demanded.

"There are people trapped by the drawbridge," Arthur informed Uther icily.

"It's suicide!" Uther shouted.

"It's my duty to the people and myself!" Arthur shouted as he ran out.

Merlin turned and ran in the direction he'd seen Gaius heading. He desperately wove through the crowds.

"Gaius!" He yelled, when he finally spotted the elderly physician.

"Merlin? What's wrong? Why are you in here?"

"There has to be a way to defeat Sigan!" Merlin exclaimed.

"I don't know," Gaius replied slowly.

"We have to do something!" Merlin shouted. "Arthur will _die_."

Gaius took a deep breath. "There is only one who is old enough to know how to beat Sigan,"

Merlin hung his head and whispered, "You knew I used to see the dragon."

"You are both creatures of magic," Gaius explained. "I felt he could help you better than I."

"He's only interested in helping himself," Merlin whispered, tears threatening to spill over.

"You must go to him, or Arthur will die," Gaius replied solemnly. Merlin stood there stiffly for a minute before painfully coming to a conclusion; he would go see the dragon.

* * *

><p>Merlin ran from the dungeons as fast as he could, reciting the spell over and over again in his head to make sure he wouldn't forget. The castle vibrated underneath him as he ran, but he wasn't focused on that, his sole concern was Arthur. <em>Was he ok? Was Arthur dead? Was he too late?<em> Merlin ran into the courtyard and down towards the drawbridge. He frantically scanned the area and saw Arthur lying on the ground still with one of the creatures was diving at him.

Merlin frantically shouted a spell, causing the creature to explode in mid-air and sent huge chunks of rocks flying. Merlin ran to Arthur's side, shaking him urgently.

"Arthur get up… Arthur!" he whispered.

Arthur groaned but didn't wake.

"Who would have believed it," a deep voice declared. "You, the kings ward, a _sorcerer_." Merlin turned to look at Cedric, who was possessed by Sigan, slowly walking towards them. "And a powerful one.

"I won't let you hurt him!" Merlin shouted determinedly.

"And _you're_ going to stop me?" Sigan asked mockingly.

Merlin got to his feet and declared, "I will stop you."

"He doesn't deserve to be saved!" Sigan exclaimed.

"Yes he does!" Merlin shouted.

"You are nothing to them," Sigan whispered.

"That's not true!" Merlin shouted, but Sigan kept going.

"You have so much power, but it will be _Arthur_ who takes the throne while you get cast aside," Sigan whispered.

"Arthur's not like that!" Merlin shouted.

"Look inside yourself, Merlin," Sigan urged. "You have so much power, and yet you must bow to that tyrant king! You could have the world appreciate you for who you are, you wouldn't be locked away like some animal, you would have Arthur and Uther both trembling at you're feet!"

"No, it can never be…" Merlin whispered shaking his head.

"It can if you join me!" Sigan insisted, "Together we can rule this land, Arthur will kneel at your feet! Tremble at your voice!" For a moment, Merlin was tempted to go with Sigan, to be free from Uther, to be free to do what he pleased was so tempting. But, he had to protect Arthur, he could never be in power. It couldn't be.

"I don't want that." Merlin whispered, shaking his head.

Sigan looked furious. "You would rather kneel at another's feet then rule with me?" he demanded.

"Better to serve a good king than to rule with an evil one!" Merlin shouted, believing his words with every fiber of his being.

"So be it!" Sigan bellowed. "If you will not join me then I will become you and your power will be harnessed to my will!"

* * *

><p>Arthur groaned and looked over around tiredly before he spotted Cedric and Merlin standing a way away from him, but something was wrong. Cedric collapsed to the ground and a strange blue smoke slowly poured out of Cedric's mouth, slithering its way over to Merlin. Merlin reached into his pocket and pulled out the stone Sigan's soul was once held inside. The smoke started wrapping itself around Merlin's body as he frantically chanted a spell. The blue smoke pushed its way into Merlin though his nose and ears and Merlin stood there gasping, opening and closing his mouth trying to speak.<p>

Arthur slowly dragged himself to his feet as Merlin collapsed to the ground, convulsing.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted fear laced through his voice. The convulsing stopped and Merlin slowly pulled himself to his feet.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted again.

Merlin turned to face him and Arthur gasped; instead of their usual bright blue, Merlin's eyes were pure black.

"Merlin is gone…" a deep voice whispered, grinning evilly. Sigan was now fully in control of his new form.

He raised his hand and barked a spell, sending Arthur flying. Arthur rolled over on his hands and knees gasping. He looked up and saw Sigan walking towards him, hand raised.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted. "I know you're in there, stop!"

"Merlin is gone!" Sigan repeated, louder this time.

"Merlin please! I know you're in there! Look inside yourself."

Sigan froze, choking. He began convulsing and collapsed once again to the ground. Blue smoke escaped from Merlin's open mouth and raced into the stone.

Arthur ran to Merlin's side and when his eyes opened again they were back to normal.

"Look at that," Merlin whispered. "For once you did the saving."

Laughing, Arthur pulled Merlin into a bone crushing hug.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Next, 'The Once and Future Queen' let me know what you thought!**


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N**

**Hey guys, so yes this is pretty similar to the actual episode (more so then usual) but I do plan on changing quiet a bit for the next part, this part just couldn't unfortunately be altered much, but never fear! As usual I do not own Merlin or its characters, BBC does I'm just having fun :)**

* * *

><p>Merlin leaned lazily against the wall and watched as Arthur and another knight practiced their jousting for the upcoming tournament. As much as Merlin hated the tournaments, he did want Arthur to win; not only would it look bad if the crowned prince lost, he knew how much this meant to Arthur. He was always doing everything he could to prove himself to Uther.<p>

"That's got to hurt," Evan commented when he saw Arthur knock the other knight off of his horse.

"It's not a pillow fight, Evan," Merlin shouted in a horrible imitation of Arthur's voice, loud enough for Arthur to hear.

"Are you mocking me, Merlin?" Arthur demanded, riding over to them.

"Why would I do that?" Merlin asked in a mocking tone.

"Fetch me another lance," Arthur snapped at his old servant. The servant bowed and ran off and Merlin couldn't help but think of Cedric. A few of the survivors from the attack had all informed Uther that it was Cedric who had cast the spells that caused all the statues to come alive. Uther had immediately ordered his execution, and as much as Merlin hated Cedric, he knew it wasn't he who had cast the spell, but Uther would not listen.

Merlin shook his head and turned his attention back to Arthur who was jousting with Leon. He winced when he saw Arthur turn his head away and raise his lance, having been blinded by the refection off of the metal tip on Leon's lance. At the last second Leon to raised his lance and galloped to the other end.

"No, don't do that…" Merlin whispered miserably.

Arthur angrily jumped off his horse and flung off the helmet.

"Why did you pull out?" he demanded. "I was wide open; you could have easily unhorsed me." Even from where he stood Merlin could see the fury in Arthur's eyes.

"I was fearful I might injure you, Sire," Leon calmly replied.

"You had the advantage. You can't afford to hesitate," Arthur scolded.

"I would not have done it if I were facing a different opponent," Leon explained.

Merlin winced; that was the _worst_ possible thing Leon could have said.

Shock and confusion flashed across Arthur's face as he stared at the knight.

"You are the future King, my Lord," Leon continued.

"You jousted against me in the tournament last year. Are you saying you let me win?" Arthur asked.

Leon looked slightly uncomfortable. "No my lord."

Merlin could hear the hesitation in his voice, and so could Arthur. Anger flashed in the Prince's eyes as he turned to the other knights.

"It doesn't matter who I am, I do not expect any special treatment from you or anyone else! Is that understood?"

The knights reluctantly nodded their heads and Arthur stormed off, Merlin right behind him. Arthur slammed the doors to his chambers open, flinging off his armor.

"How am I going to prove myself if my opponents aren't trying their hardest?" he shouted.

"I'm sure it's not happening all the time," Merlin assured.

Arthur rounded on him, his eyes blazing.

"Did you know about this?" he snarled.

Merlin winced slightly and admitted, "I… suspected that they weren't trying their hardest…"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Arthur shouted, fighting to get his armor off.

"Here…" Merlin whispered, gently helping him remove the armor. Once it was off, Arthur flung it carelessly to the ground.

"All my life people have treated me differently because I'm the Prince… I just want to be treated like everyone else…."

"You've always been just Arthur to me," Merlin offered.

A weak smile graced Arthur lips. "Yeah, that's true," he agreed.

"And people haven't exactly treated me the same either," Merlin continued.

"You're one of the few people who actually gets it," Arthur agreed.

"It's something we just have to live with; it's not like we can change who we are," Merlin continued. He turned to Arthur who had a strange glint in his eyes.

"Yes I can," Arthur whispered.

Merlin gulped, this was going to get interesting.

* * *

><p>"We've received reports that a beast has been attacking villages near the northern boarders," Arthur solemnly informed Uther during dinner.<p>

"What is the nature of this beast?" Uther asked, raising his glass for Evan to fill.

"It's is said to have the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle and the face of a… bear."

Merlin snorted into his drink and Uther glared at him. Merlin whispered a quick apology, staring fixedly at his food and trying to keep his expression neutral.

Evan glanced questioningly at him. Merlin simply smirked as Arthur continued, "I believe it has been conjured by sorcery."

"Then we must destroy it," Uther declared.

"I'll leave for the northern border in the morning," Arthur agreed.

"But you'll miss the tournament!" Uther exclaimed.

"As much as I want to compete, my duty to Camelot comes first," Arthur replied calmly.

"You're right, of course," Uther agreed sadly.

Merlin grinned at Arthur who grinned back. Evan watched the pair worriedly.

* * *

><p>Merlin hurried through the forest, clutching a bag of Evan's clothes. Initially, he had asked Evan to let Arthur stay with him, but the problem was Evan's family; they would all have to know about Arthur as well, and Arthur wanted as few people to know about this as possible. Even so, Evan had been more then will to give Arthur some of his clothes and to go looking for someone to play the part of the knight.<p>

Merlin quickly found Arthur in the meeting place.

"Were where you?" Arthur demanded.

"Sorry. I got caught and had to make up some excuse and-" Merlin rambled.

"Never mind," Arthur snapped. "We need to hurry."

Merlin nodded and pulled out Evan's clothes, tossing them to Arthur. Arthur stared at them for a moment before reluctantly pulling them on. Once he was ready the pair quickly went back to the city, heading for Gwen's house.

Merlin hurriedly knocked on the door and Gwen ushered them inside. Once they were safely inside Arthur removed the cloak he'd worn and looked around the house.

"Thank you, Guinevere, for helping me," said Arthur, looking truly grateful.

Gwen smile and replied, "It's an honor to help my lord. I'll make us some supper."

"Thank you," Arthur repeated as Gwen left.

There was a knock at the door and Merlin cautiously opened the door and let Evan in.

"I trust everything went well?" Evan asked, bowing slightly to Arthur.

"So far," Merlin replied. "Have you found someone to play the part of the knight?"

"Yes. He's a farmer from one of the outlying villages, so no one will recognize him."

"But does he look the part?" Arthur asked worriedly, causing Evan to falter.

Merlin internally groaned when the man walked in.

_ This is going to be a long night._


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N**

**As always I need to give a huge shout out to my beta Hatstand and to all you lovely reviewers out there :) thanks as always and enjoy.**

* * *

><p>Merlin fidgeted in his seat next to Uther's, scared that the ruse would fail. He had to admit, the fake knight looked the part, but what if Uther found out he was just a farmer?<p>

Merlin quickly stood when he saw Uther coming and remained standing as Uther took his place.

"Knights of the realm, welcome to Camelot," Uther declared. "You've trained for this day for many years! Now it is time to put your bravery, courage and skills to the test. Today you fight for glory and for honor; for this is the ultimate test of courage that will be the measure of you as men." Merlin forced himself not to laugh as he watched the fake knight struggle with his horse. Horses _knew_ when you were afraid, and the knight was obviously terrified. "For only the most skillful the most fearless among you will emerge as a worthy champion."

The crowd burst into applause and the knights rode out of the arena.

Merlin grinned as Arthur defeated opponent after opponent; even Uther seemed very impressed. He had a grin on his face every time Arthur unseated one of the best knights, and they were good knights: the best Merlin had ever seen. Merlin kept catching an almost knowing glint in his eyes, but it was gone so quickly he wasn't even sure it was there.

Merlin noticed a man with an intense look on his face, watching Arthur with great interest. Something about the man felt off. Merlin's frowned deepened when one of the knights of Camelot sat down next to the man and started whispering urgently to him. After a minute the man looked over at Evan who was helping the fake knight unsaddle his horse. Merlin worried that someone would wonder why Evan was helping another knight, clearly not from Camelot, but he was forced to look away from the man when Uther started asking about the new knight.

"Why is your servant helping Sir William?" Uther asked after a few minutes.

Merlin quickly scrambled for a plausible answer before replying, "Well he um didn't have a servant and I didn't need Evan's help so I asked him to help the new knight."

Uther looked Merlin over critically for a few seconds, disbelief written plainly across his face, but thankfully he didn't say anything and turned his attention to the guard who was urgently talking to him.

* * *

><p>Merlin hurried down to the tent where Arthur and 'Sir William' were waiting. He slipped inside unnoticed and grinned at Arthur.<p>

"You're doing great!"

"And this time I can say for sure that I won!" Arthur exclaimed, grinning like an idiot.

"Why do you want to win so badly?" Merlin asked.

"Because," Arthur explained, "I want to know I can do this, not because I got special treatment because I'm the Prince, but because I am good enough to do it."

Even though Arthur could be a real prat at times, there were moments like this where Merlin was sure his friend would be a great king. He just wished those moments would come a bit more often.

Evan walked in, already beginning to speak. "Sorry to disturb you sire but I am a bit… worried."

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"While you two were gone there was word an assassin was hired to kill Arthur," Evan began.

"So? As far as most anyone is concerned I'm not in Camelot," Arthur reminded him.

"Well… a man… he seemed far too interested in why I was with Sir William," Evan explained.

"Probably curious about this new knight," Arthur shrugged, completely unconcerned.

Merlin looked at Evan and silently waved him out, nodding slightly. Evan bowed deeply and walked out of the tent, flashing Merlin one last concerned look before letting the tent flap shut behind him.

"Maybe you should listen to him," Merlin whispered.

"He's just worried over nothing," Arthur scolded.

"Look, I trust his judgment and I saw this man… Something about him seemed very wrong to me-" Merlin began.

"Merlin how could anyone know that Sir William isn' t a real knight?" Arthur asked.

"I'm just worried," Merlin snapped. "Nothing ever seems to go smoothly in Camelot."

"It'll be fine Merlin," Arthur assured. "Besides, even if there is an assassin, what could he do with so many guards around?"

"I guess…" Merlin agreed reluctantly.

"Merlin, I appreciate your concern, I really do, but you don't need to worry. If you worry too much, Uther _will_ suspect something," said Arthur.

"Alright," Merlin agreed. "Just be careful."

"Don't worry, I will." Arthur promised.

Unbeknownst to either of them, a lone figure slipped away, a malicious smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Merlin was heading down to Gwen's house to check up on her and her guest, when he passed by her on the street.<p>

"Where's Arthur?" Merlin hissed.

"He's making me dinner," Gwen replied, clearly confused.

"Arthur's cooking?" Merlin asked.

"Yes," Gwen replied.

"Last time he cooked he nearly blew up the whole camp!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Well he said he would," Gwen replied, shrugging.

Groaning Merlin ran to Gwen's house and rushed in, the smell of burning food lingering in the air.

"Arthur?" Merlin called, wandering to where he thought the kitchen was.

Arthur was frantically waving g a towel around trying to clear the air. Merlin muttered a quick spell causing the smoke to vanish.

"Thanks Merlin," Arthur said gratefully.

"What happened in here?" Merlin asked. Arthur grinned sheepishly and Merlin sighed. "Just get rid of the burnt food, I'll get some good food from the kitchens."

Arthur smiled gratefully at Merlin.

"Thanks."

"Just clean up, Prat," Merlin replied, grinning.

Merlin would often go get dinners for himself and Arthur when Uther was dinning with council members, but he worried they'd wonder why he was getting two meals when Arthur was away. Thankfully, they didn't question his hastily put together story about having dinner with Morgana. Merlin knew Morgana was to have dinner alone, so he was confident no one would question it.

Merlin hurried back to Gwen's house and gave the dinners to Arthur.

"So why where you cooking dinner for Gwen?" he asked.

A deep blush formed on Arthur's cheeks as he stammered, "Well she um… she's been very kind and um… well I…"

"You like her, don't you!" Merlin exclaimed, grinning.

Arthur's blush deepened as he snapped, "I do not!"

"You do!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Shut up, _Mer_lin!" Arthur exclaimed.

Laughing Merlin assured, "Don't worry your secrets safe with me," Merlin teased grinning. "Just be a good boy, remember The Talk…"

"_Merlin!_" Arthur exclaimed, looking horrified.

Merlin grinned slyly before vanishing out the door. He felt strangely happy as he made his way up to the castle. He hadn't seen Arthur this happy in a long time, and he was glad that Arthur liked Gwen; she would be good for him.

Merlin rounded the corner and froze. Sir Leon, Gaius, and Uther were all standing around the lifeless form of a guard.

"What happened?" Merlin gasped.

"Where have you been?" Uther snarled.

"I was in my chambers…" Merlin stammered awkwardly.

"And then he had come by shortly before I was sent for," Gaius finished, sending a stern glare at Merlin. Merlin knew he'd have to talk to Gaius later.

"I'm sorry, did you need me?" Merlin asked, hoping that was what Gaius wanted him to do.

"I sent for a servant to fetch you and was worried when you weren't there," Uther replied.

"I'm sorry if I worried you," Merlin replied, feeling genuinely sorry.

"There is an assassin in Camelot," Uther explained.

"And it seems like whoever it is knows what they're doing," Gaius confirmed.

"There was an intruder in the spotted in the lower town," Leon added.

"Have you heard from Arthur?" Uther asked Merlin.

"No Sire," Merlin replied calmly, but his mind was in a whirlwind.

"We must be thankful Arthur isn't here then," Uther replied. "Double the guard, I want whoever this is caught before Arthur returns."

Leon bowed before running off, and Merlin turned and left as calmly as he could. Once he was out of sight, Merlin ran to Gwen's house as fast as he could, unceremoniously flinging the door open and shouting,

"An assassin is in Camelot! And he's killed someone!"

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Uh-oh, what does this mean for Arthur? Let me know what you guys thought!**


	57. Chapter 57

"Uther claims that Odin sent him," Merlin explained to a shell shocked Arthur. Merlin tried to look at him, but Arthur refused to meet his gaze.

"Why would Odin want you dead?" Gwen asked, confused.

"Because I killed his son," Arthur whispered, his voice laced with pain. "He challenged me to a fight… I had no quarrel with him. I asked him to withdrawal but…. He wouldn't." Arthur stared ahead, lost in thought. "I can still see his face…"

"Arthur, you can't blame yourself," Gwen whispered gently.

"Gwen, Evan and I are the only ones who know where you are," Merlin rationalized, "and if the assassin can't find you, he can't kill you."

"May I continue to stay here?" Arthur asked.

"Of course, as long as you need," Gwen assured.

Arthur sighed and continued, "Thank you, I'll sleep on the floor tonight."

"No, have my bed. You need to be well rested for the tournament tomorrow," Gwen protested.

"I will not hear of it," Arthur replied sternly. "Goodnight, Guinevere."

"Goodnight," Gwen sighed.

Merlin raised his eyebrows and Gwen whispered, "I told him when he got here that my bed was a spare…"

Merlin rolled his eyes and quickly followed Arthur back.

"You sure you can handle the floor?" Merlin grinned.

"Of course I can!" said Arthur indignantly. "I sleep on the ground while hunting."

Merlin chuckled. "I'd better get back. Uther will be wondering about me and Gaius will want some answers…" Merlin clamped his mouth shut but it was too late,

"You told _Gaius_?"

"He sort of found out on his own…" Merlin replied sheepishly. Arthur groaned and waved Merlin out.

* * *

><p>Gaius had not been happy when Merlin had explained to Gaius Arthur's plan, but he accepted it and agreed not to tell Uther.<p>

"Maybe this was a good thing," Gaius admitted. "Arthur's gone while the assassin is near."

That morning would be the last day of the tournament, the last day before Arthur 'returned' to Camelot. Merlin hoped that the assassin would be caught before then, else Arthur would really be in danger. He turned his attention back to the knights, in the final round Arthur would go against Sir Eleanor.

Merlin frowned slightly as he watched Sir Eleanor; something about the way he held himself seemed off. Merlin shook his head and forced himself to focus on the match. He knew something was _wrong_, but he couldn't figure out what. Merlin was staring intently at Eleanor's lance, trying to figure out what was off. His fear peaked when the lance hit Arthur, and Arthur doubled over in pain, clutching his chest. Merlin turned his attention back to Eleanor and felt his chest constrict when he saw what appeared to be a spike slide back into the lance.

Merlin stood and left the stands shortly after Gwen, hastily telling Uther he was just going to check on the Sir Eleanor. He ran to Eleanor's tent and peered in, frowning when he the strange man he'd seen a few days ago putting on the helmet. Merlin scanned the tent and felt his chest tightened when he saw a pale hand sticking out from under a hastily thrown blanket.

Merlin ran back to the arena and looked around for Evan. "Where's Arthur?" he demanded when he found his servant walking past one of the tents.

"He went to joust," Evan replied worriedly.

"He's going to joust against the assassin!" Merlin exclaimed and started to force his way through the stands; maybe if he moved quickly enough Uther could stop the tournament. Very quickly though it became apparent that Merlin would not be able to reach Uther in time. Merlin turned his attention to Arthur who was obviously seriously injured. He quickly cast a spell causing the strap on the assassin's horse to snap.

Arthur hit the assassin with his lance, causing the intruder to topple to the ground. The audience jumped to their feet roaring their approval and Merlin quickly ran to Arthur's tent.

Inside, Merlin found Evan and Gwen helping patch Arthur up and 'Sir William' watching with mild concern.

"You were jousting against the assassin," Merlin informed Arthur. "He killed the real Sir Eleanor and took his place."

Arthur looked sick by the time Merlin had finished, and he couldn't really blame him.

"The people are waiting for their champion."

Arthur was silent for a minute before handing 'Sir William' his helmet saying,

"You must go and collect the trophy."

"But wasn't this supposed to be your moment of glory?" Gwen asked.

"Maybe this is a time for humility," Arthur replied.

Gwen was beaming as Arthur nodded the knight out. She and Evan stepped outside.

"I'm really proud of you, Arthur," said Merlin.

"Thank you," Arthur whispered, staring at the spot Gwen had been standing in moments before.

"She's really good for you," Merlin continued, grinning wickedly.

Arthur's head snapped over to Merlin, a deep blush on his cheeks.

"_Merlin!_ I wouldn't…. we…. _Merlin!"_

Laughing, Merlin left the tent to go congratulate 'Sir William'.

* * *

><p>"On our way home we were attacked by the assassin," Arthur explained to Uther calmly. "I was injured while killing him."<p>

"Odin must be made to pay for his actions, we must strike back," Uther declared.

"Surely you understand the grief he feels for the loss of his son?" Arthur asked calmly. "We should try to make peace with him. There has been enough bloodshed."

Uther was silent for several long minutes before replying, "Perhaps you're right. How was the rest of your trip? Fruitful?"

"Very," Arthur agreed. "I learned a great deal from it." Arthur locked eyes with Gwen as he said this, but thankfully Uther didn't notice. "How was the tournament?" Arthur asked, focusing on Uther.

"Excellent. We have a new champion Sir William of Deira," Uther replied, a knowing glint in his eye.

"Well I'm sorry to have missed all the excitement," Arthur replied grinning. He locked eyes with Gwen before bowing and leaving.

Merlin turned to follow Arthur but was stopped by Uther,

"A word Merlin?"

Merlin turned back to Uther and asked, "Yes sire?"

A large grin spread across Uther's face. "Please tell Arthur I was very impressed with his performance in the tournament."

Merlin stared at Uther, mouth agape, as Uther strode out of the hall, laughing.

"Did we fool _anyone_?"

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Apparently there's no tricking Uther. Let me know what you thought!**


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N**

**So my beta will be out of town for awhile so the next few chapters won't be edited by her. I hoped she'd have internet but obviously she doesn't so I'm going to just go ahead and put this up.**

**Edit: So this chapter has now been edited but the next few chapters will only get edited when my beta is in a place she can get to a computer.**

* * *

><p>Merlin stood next to Arthur as Uther questioned Gwen mercilessly. Merlin's eyes scanned the room quickly; the curtains were burnt and the glass from the windows was shattered, but what interested him the most was the fact that the window had been blown out into the courtyard and not in.<p>

Merlin shook his head and focused on what Uther was saying.

"…magic must be involved in this."

"We don't know-" Arthur began, but Uther cut him off.

"Arthur, arrest all those we have under suspicion."

"But that will take time-" Arthur protested.

"My ward has been attacked!" Uther snapped. "Time is something we don't have."

* * *

><p>Merlin held a bouquet of flowers tightly in his hands. He knew Morgana was scared; he hoped that maybe the flowers would cheer her up.<p>

As Merlin strode down the hall Arthur rounded the corner. Merlin quickly hid the flowers behind his back, praying Arthur wouldn't notice.

"What's behind your back?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised.

'Nothing," Merlin replied, showing Arthur his hands one after the other.

Arthur tried to step behind him but Merlin turned on the spot, keeping the flowers carefully hidden behind his back.

"Merlin," Arthur warned.

"Aren't you needed somewhere?" Merlin asked.

Arthur watched Merlin, who watched Arthur carefully.

"Well?"

Arthur turned and left, Merlin grabbing the flowers and quickly turning as well. He hurried to Morgana's chambers and when he got there raised his hand to knock, then froze when he heard voices.

"…the only one I've told about my dreams," Morgana was saying.

Merlin knew it was bad to eavesdrop, but he just had to know.

"I know I can trust you Gaius."

"Yes of course you can," Gaius assured.

"It was me," Morgana whispered. "I set the room alight, I started the fire."

Merlin reeled back, stunned. Why would Morgana start a fire?

"I don't understand. Did you knock a candle over-?" Gaius asked uncertainly.

"No, that's not what happened," Morgana interrupted. "I did it just by looking at it. I looked at it and suddenly the flames leapt higher." Morgana looked close to tears as she explained this to Gaius, and Merlin felt a twinge of pity for her.

"It could have been a gust of wind," Gaius replied calmly.

"No it wasn't," Morgana whispered, "it was me. It was magic."

"My child…" Gaius began soothingly but Morgana snapped.

"I am not a child!"

"Last night was an accident," Gaius continued calmly, like he hadn't heard Morgana. "It had nothing to do with you. How could it have? I am going to draw you up a fresh remedy that will make you feel better I promise." Morgana was frantically shaking her head as Gaius stood to leave. "You must trust me."

Fury built up inside of Merlin as Gaius left through the servant's entrance. Would he ever stop? He reeled in his anger before his magic could lash out and knocked on the door. Morgana pushed it open.

"Hello, Merlin."

Merlin could tell she was upset; the way she spoke to him and her body language spoke loudly. "Is there something you needed? Something you wanted to say?"

"Actually I wanted to give you these," Merlin replied, showing Morgana the flowers. "I thought they might make you feel better."

Morgana was clearly surprised by this but took the flowers saying, "Thank you. They're lovely."

"I'm glad you like them," Merlin replied, grinning.

Morgana flashed a weak smile before closing the door. Merlin's expression darkened as he turned on his heel and stomped off towards Gaius's chambers. As he got closer, Merlin smelt something horribly familiar in the air; it was the smell of the potion he used to drink, the potion that bound his magic. He flung the door open and stormed into the room.

"You just can't stop can you?" he demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Gaius asked.

"You and I both know that it was magic that Morgana used," Merlin snapped, "and now you're going to bind her magic like you did to me!"

"Of course not…" Gaius began but Merlin wouldn't hear it.

"I had to take that stuff for almost my entire life!" Merlin snarled. "I would know that anywhere. You destroyed my childhood and now you're going to ruin Morgana's life? Why?"

"I'm just doing what is best for her!" Gaius exclaimed.

"Hiding the truth from her is what's best?" Merlin shouted.

"You and I both know that Uther is terrified of magic!" Gaius exclaimed.

"He wouldn't hurt her!" Merlin exclaimed.

"If you're so sure then go tell Uther of your magic then," Gaius declared, causing Merlin to pause. Seeing Merlin's hesitation, Gaius continued. "I don't like this, Merlin, but there is nothing else I can do."

"Maybe I can-" Merlin began but Gaius cut him off,

"No, Merlin, it's too dangerous!"

"She's terrified Gaius!" Merlin exclaimed. "What about the Druids? They could help her!"

"No one knows where they are," Gaius sighed. "It is for the best that Morgana does not find out that she has magic."

"Look how well that turned out last time," Merlin whispered darkly, before turning to leave. His first thought was to try and talk to the dragon, but he immediately discarded the idea; he didn't want to ask the dragon for help unless he had no other choice. Sighing, Merlin trudged to his chambers, not knowing what else to do.

"My father suspects sorcery caused the fire."

Merlin slowed as he heard Arthur's voice from up ahead.

"Indeed my lord," Leon agreed. "I've included details of everyone who is suspected to be involved with witches sorcerers and druids."

Merlin immediately perked up at the mention of the druids.

"Gather the men, we'll arrest them immediately," Arthur ordered, glancing guiltily at Merlin.

Arthur strolled into his chambers and set the scroll down on the table, stepping behind the screen as he did so. Merlin glanced at the scroll, causing it to unroll, and quickly scanned the page looking for someone who knew about the druids.

"So, where are my flowers?" Arthur asked, causing Merlin to look up and the scroll to roll shut.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"A little birdie told me you gave Morgana some, so I assumed you were giving some to everyone… or is she the only one to receive your token off affections?" Arthur asked.

Merlin who had once again been trying to read the scroll replied offhandedly, "Yes… I mean… it's not a token of anything affection or otherwise… I wanted to cheer her up…" Merlin looked over at the screen where Arthur had stuck his head out and was smirking,

"First Gwen and now Morgana? Merlin, I never knew you were such a ladies man?"

"I was only trying to be nice!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Sure," Arthur agreed, stepping out and grabbing his sword. "Just don't let Uther catch you."

"Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed, but his friend was already gone.

Merlin rolled his eyes at Arthur's stupidity and ran off having finally gotten the information he needed.


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N**

**This week has been a pretty hard week so that's why this chapter was delayed. Once again my beta doesn't have wifi so she can't really edit this. I'll repost the edited once its ready but for now enjoy this :)**

**Edit: So here is the edited version :)**

* * *

><p>Merlin hurried through the town, watching as guards dragged innocent people off to be tried and, more times than not, executed. He wasn't worried about them, though; he had another destination in mind.<p>

Merlin soon found the house he was looking for and quickly muttered a spell causing the door to unlock. He slowly walked through the empty house and froze when he heard a dagger being unsheathed.

"Move and I kill yea," a voice growled.

"Oridel?" Merlin asked.

"Who are you?"

"There's no time to explain we have to get out of here!" Merlin exclaimed, turning to face the woman. When she made no move to lower her dagger he continued speaking. "The King's men are coming for you!"

Oridel jumped when the door shook and angry shouts followed. Merlin quickly led her through the back door and once outside she rounded on him.

"How did you know they were coming for me?"

"I'm good friends with the prince," Merlin replied, shrugging.

"You took a great risk helping me. Thank you," she whispered.

"I couldn't help them all," Merlin whispered, watching as the guards led a large group of people away.

"We have to go," she whispered urgently, but Merlin caught her arm.

"Wait! I need your help. I need a way to contact the druids."

"I wouldn't know anything about them," Oridel replied automatically.

"You don't need to lie to me," Merlin assured.

"I'm not lying," Oridel replied, her expression stony.

"Please. If it weren't for me you'd be under arrest," Merlin exclaimed. "I'm not a spy for Uther, I'm a friend of druids. I need their help." Merlin didn't know why he wasn't just helping Morgana; he easily could, but Gaius's words floated through Merlin's head again and he realized that the physician would never let that happen. This was the best way.

After a minute Oridel replied, "What do you want to know?"

Merlin quietly knocked on Morgana's door and she silently pulled it open and let him inside.

"How are you feeling?" Merlin asked kindly.

"Fine," Morgana whispered, her gaze falling towards the phial of the potion that Gaius had given her.

"I, um, heard you talking to Gaius yesterday-"

"I was just frightened," Morgana cut him off. "Just… forget what I said…"

"I haven't told anyone," Merlin assured her.

"I'm sorry. It's usually Gwen who has to deal with me when I'm like this," Morgana apologized, looking close to tears."

"It's ok," Merlin assured. "Maybe I can help?"

"I doubt that," Morgana replied bitterly.

"You'd be surprised," Merlin replied shrugging. "I do understand how terrifying all of this must be. I mean: you are the King's ward, and you and I both know how Uther fears magic…"

"You think that…. You think it is magic?" Morgana asked.

"Well… I wouldn't know for sure but there are people who do…" Merlin began awkwardly.

"Who?" Morgana demanded.

"The druids," Merlin replied slowly. "They help people like you."

"None of their kind would dare show their face in Camelot," Morgana scoffed.

"No," Merlin agreed, "but I know where you can find them."

Evan froze when he heard the alarm bells go off and Merlin forced himself to try and act confused as well.

"Has a prisoner escaped?" Evan asked worriedly.

Someone knocked urgently on the door.

"Enter."

Arthur ran in, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Morgana's been kidnapped."

"What?" Merlin exclaimed, hoping Arthur didn't notice how fake it sounded. Judging from the look Arthur gave Merlin, he did.

"She's been kidnapped?" Evan asked, not noticing the strange look Arthur was giving Merlin.

"Uther thinks she's been kidnapped by a sorcerer," Arthur explained.

Merlin stiffened slightly when Gaius walked in. "Evan, can you go find Gwen and see if she's alright? She's probably really upset."

For a moment, Merlin thought he saw a look of hurt cross Evan's face, but in an instant it was gone and the servant was smiling again.

"Of course, my Lord."

Merlin bit back a groan as Evan hurried out of the room. He just couldn't get a break could he?

"Merlin, what's going on?" Arthur asked worriedly.

Merlin sighed. "Okay… I sent Morgana to the druids."

"You did what?" Gaius exclaimed just as Arthur asked, "Why would you send her to the druids?"

"Arthur…. Isn't it weird how the window had blown out into the courtyard rather than into her room?" Merlin asked.

"Are you saying that a sorcerer did attack Morgana?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"No…. Arthur…" Merlin began slowly. "You can't tell Morgana you know but…. She has magic."

"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, eyes wide.

"We cannot be sure," Gaius interrupted, glaring at Merlin.

"But the druids can," Merlin finished, glaring at Gaius in return.

"Are you guys okay…?" Arthur asked slowly.

"Great, just peachy!" Merlin exclaimed, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Merlin-" Gaius warned.

"Look, Gaius, I did it because she was terrified; I did it because I understand how it feels to have no idea what's happening to you, to not know if the people you love will still love you if they ever found out…"

Gaius's hard expression softened. "Merlin… I understand why you did it but please understand what I'm trying to do."

"Hiding this from her won't help," Merlin whispered.

"Merlin, I do understand but that doesn't mean I don't fear the consequences," Gaius informed him solemnly.

Merlin felt really bad for putting Arthur through all of this. He was now forced to act like he knew nothing of Merlin's involvement with Morgana's disappearance. The worst thing about the whole mess was the fact that Evan was now acting like a 'proper' servant should. He constantly called Merlin 'my Lord' and didn't talk to him unless answering a direct question.

Merlin forced himself to sit still as Arthur talked to Uther about the search.

Eventually Uther declared, "send out a proclamation that all the prisoners will be executed unless the lady Morgana is returned safely!"

Arthur froze for a moment before replying slowly, "I'll see to it my lord."

Evan sighed as he made his way to Merlin's chambers the next morning. If he was honest with himself, he knew he wasn't being very fair. He knew how much Merlin hated the way he was acting, but he did it anyway. He just wished that Merlin trusted him enough to tell him what was going on. Evan knew that Merlin was somehow involved in the whole mess with Morgana, he just didn't know how.

Evan had decided that he would try and talk to him; Merlin was his friend and he wanted him to know that his friends wanted to help.

Evan knocked loudly on the door, waiting for Merlin to let him in. He frowned when Merlin didn't answer and knocked on the door again

"Merlin? It's time to wake up," he called

When Evan still didn't get an answer he pushed the door open and walked in.

"Merlin?" Evan looked around and froze, letting the platter fall the too the floor. The window was blown open and Merlin was nowhere in sight.

Evan ran out of the room down to the council chambers and burst in shouting.

"Merlin's gone!"


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N**

**See I can update quickly. **

* * *

><p>Merlin hurried through the forest, completely unaware that Arthur was following his trail, only knowing that he had to reach Morgana quickly, before innocent lives were taken. Soon, he found a camp and slowly crept through the tents until he spotted Morgana sitting in a tent with a strange man. Merlin slipped closer to the tent to listen.<p>

"What would you like to know?" Merlin heard the man ask.

"Why I can see the future in my dreams," Morgana replied. "Why I am able to start fires with my mind." Morgana sounded so vulnerable, so scared. Merlin felt a deep twinge of pity for her then.

"The people who are able to do this are few and far between," the man explained kindly. "You have a gift."

"Is it magic?" Morgana asked slowly.

"Of a kind," the man admitted, "but it will be years before you can fully understand it, let alone use it. This isn't something you should be afraid of."

"It is if you have Uther as your guardian," Morgana replied stiffly. "If he found out he'd have me killed."

"He won't," the man assured.

"But if he did?" Morgana asked, looking close to tears.

"We won't let that happen," the man assured. "You're safe here. We shouldn't be scared of Uther, we should pity him."

"Pity?" Morgana scoffed. "Why?"

"He is a broken man consumed by fear," the man replied. "His fear of magic is driven from the goodness of his heart."

"Uther claims that there is good magic, that it isn't all evil, but… it always seems like he can only see dark magic everywhere he looks," Morgana whispered.

"Magic can be used for good," The man Merlin hurried through the forest, completely unaware that Arthur was following his trail, only knowing that he had to reach Morgana quickly before innocent lives where taken. Soon Merlin found a camp so Merlin slowly snuck through the camp until he spotted Morgana sitting in a tent with a man. Merlin got closer to the tent to listen.

"What would you like to know?" Merlin heard the man ask.

"Why I can see the future in my dream," Morgana replied, "why I am able to start fires with my mind." Morgana sounded so vulnerable, so scared. Merlin felt a deep twinge of pity for her then.

"The people who are able to do this are few and far between," The man explained kindly, "you have a gift."

"Is it magic?" Morgana asked slowly.

"Of a kind," the man admitted, "but it will be years before you can fully understand it, let alone use it. This isn't something you should be afraid of."

"It is if you have Uther as your guardian," Morgana replied stiffly, "if he found out he'd have me killed."

"He won't," the man assured.

"But if he did?" Morgana asked looking close to tears.

"We won't let that happen," the man assured, "you're safe here. We shouldn't be scared of Uther, we should pity him."

"Pity?" Morgana scoffed, "Why?"

"He is a broken man consumed by fear," the man replied, "His fear of magic is driven from the goodness of his heart."

"Uther claims that there is good magic, that it isn't all evil, but… it always seems like he can only see dark magic everywhere he looks," Morgana whispered.

"Magic can be used for good," the man agreed."One day you will see that magic isn't good or evil, it's how you use it."

The man left the tent and Merlin slipped inside.

Arthur knew that Morgana and Merlin hadn't been kidnapped and he knew that the druids weren't evil. Nevertheless, Uther was terrified and had ordered Arthur to go to the druids camp and find his missing wards at any cost. Arthur hoped he could slow his men down enough to give Merlin time to find Morgana and that they could 'run into' them on the way. He knew that this was extremely unlikely, but the alternative was too horrible to think about.

Soon, one of his men spotted smoke rising above the trees. Arthur took a deep breath and reluctantly said, "remember the King's orders, we take no prisoners."

Morgana jumped slightly when she spotted Merlin.

"Merlin!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? How did you get out without Uther finding you?"

"I've come to take you back to Camelot," Merlin whispered hurriedly.

"Then I'm afraid you've had a wasted journey," Morgana replied defiantly. "I'm never going back."

"You have to!" Merlin exclaimed. "Uther is executing every sorcerer he has imprisoned!"

"Why?" Morgana asked.

"He thinks you've been kidnapped!" Merlin exclaimed.

Morgana looked conflicted as Merlin hurriedly explained the situation.

"If I return, the same fate awaits me!" Morgana exclaimed.

"Uther doesn't need to know about this," Merlin assured. "I won't tell a soul."

"How will we explain our absence then?" Morgana demanded.

"Just say you were scared and ran off," Merlin exclaimed, but Morgana shook her head,

"I'm sorry, but I'm never going back. These are my people, they're like me. I don't feel so alone here. Can you understand?" Morgana looked desperately at Merlin as she spoke.

"I do," Merlin admitted, "but you don't have to feel alone in Camelot-" Merlin was cut off when the strange man returned to the tent.

"Morgana we have to go- Who is this?"

"He's a friend," Morgana assured.

"What's going on?" Merlin asked.

The man glared at Merlin. "Arthur and his men are here, your friend led them straight to us!" He helped lead Morgana out of the tent and Merlin followed.

What had been a peaceful camp was now a chaotic one, people were frantically running around as soldiers streamed into the camp. Someone grabbed Merlin's arm and spun him around.

"Merlin!"

It was Arthur.

"Arthur, what are you doing!" Merlin shouted over the chaos.

"Uther thinks you've been kidnapped too!" Arthur exclaimed. "He won't stop until he finds you both!"

"Morgana won't come back to Camelot!" Merlin exclaimed.

"She has to! Uther will kill every sorcerer in Camelot until she does!"

"Sire! This way!" a soldier exclaimed, pointing towards three Druids fleeing through the forest.

Merlin ran off towards the figures, and Arthur reluctantly followed the soldier. Merlin prayed that Arthur would be able to slow his men down enough to allow him to find Morgana and help her escape. Merlin quickly found the Druid leader and Mordred standing around Morgana, who was sitting on a rock, breathing heavily.

"I can't go on," she was saying breathlessly.

"We won't leave you behind!" he man exclaimed.

Merlin couldn't help but admire the man for his determination. He shook the thought away.

"You have to get out of here!" Merlin cut in. "Arthur's coming! Go. I'll distract them."

"Merlin, you can't!" Morgana exclaimed.

"I'll hold them off as long as possible, but you have to go!" Merlin exclaimed.

Morgana nodded. "I'll never forget this, Merlin."

Once she was out of sight, Merlin uttered a spell causing the clearing to fill with smoke. He then started running back towards the camp, stumbling back as an arrow whizzed past him, embedding itself deeply into a nearby tree.

"There!" someone shouted and suddenly Merlin found himself surrounded by soldiers pointing swords and crossbows alike at him.

"Arthur! We found Merlin!" one of the men exclaimed, causing the other men to lower their weapons as well.

"Do you know if the Lady Morgana is here?" one of the men asked desperately.

"I um… didn't see her," Merlin quickly lied, panicking.

One of the soldiers started to lead Merlin away as the other men ran off in search of Morgana and the Druids.

Merlin quickly realized that it was Leon who was leading him away, and who kept asking questions he couldn't answer.

"Did the Druids really kidnap you?"

"No," Merlin replied automatically, slapping himself as he said so.

"Then… what happened?" Leon asked worriedly.

Merlin was frantically scrambling for an answer when he heard a shout.

"We found the Lady Morgana!"

Merlin sighed in relief when Leon ran off to join the others, giving him time to come up with a good story. Unfortunately, the only plausible story Merlin could come up with, other than being kidnapped, was that he simply ran away hoping to 'save' Morgana.

Uther was livid.

"What were you thinking?" he snarled.

His rage soon faded when Morgana walked in, safe and sound. Uther was so relieved that his wards were both safe, he was unable to stay angry with them.

When Evan heard Merlin was back in Camelot, he immediately found the returning party.

"Why did you run off like that?"

"I was worried about Morgana," Merlin lied. He could tell Evan knew it was a lie, but thankfully Evan didn't push it.

Merlin slowly made his way to Morgana's chambers, knowing what he wanted to tell her, but unsure as to how to say it. He knocked on the door, and Morgana silently pulled it open, stepping aside to let him in.

"About what I said-" Morgana began, but Merlin quickly cut her off.

"I haven't told anyone," he assured her.

Morgana smiled. "Thank you…" she whispered, but…."

"But what?" Merlin prompted.

"When you found me at the Druids camp… you said I didn't have to feel alone… why?"

Merlin could have come up with a thousand different things to explain that statement that didn't involve telling her about his magic, but he was sick of all the lies; sick of all the secrets.

Merlin locked eyes with Morgana. "Because… you aren't the only sorcerer in Camelot…."

"What?" Morgana asked.

Merlin could see it in her eyes, she knew the truth, she just didn't want to accept it.

"I have magic, just like you."


	61. Chapter 61

Morgana stared at Merlin, disbelief written across her face.

Merlin whispered a spell, causing the candles in the room to light.

Morgana stared at the candles for several long minutes before slowly turning her attention back to Merlin.

"Why?" she whispered, looking like she was about to cry. "Why?"

"I think I've always had magic," Merlin began. "Gaius…. He bound my magic…. That's why I was always sick. But then I guess the potion stopped working for me and I discovered my gift."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Morgana demanded, a look of betrayal on her face.

"Gaius told me that I shouldn't…." Merlin feebly explained.

"Why?" Morgana snapped, enraged.

"Uther is afraid of magic," Merlin rationalized. "Gaius thought it would be best to keep this a secret to protect you…"

"Protect me?" Morgana asked.

"Uther says he can tolerate magic used for good… but we both know he can't see the good in magic."

Morgana nodded her head in agreement.

"Gaius was just trying to do what he thought was best. It wasn't exactly the best plan but…. He did have your best interest at heart."

Morgana nodded her head. "Thank you for telling me the truth Merlin; you really are a good friend."

"You're welcome."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Evan helped Merlin saddle his horse. Merlin had decided to go with Morgana so he could visit his parents' graves as well.<p>

"Are you sure you don't want me to come along, my Lord?" Evan asked as Merlin jumped onto his horse.

"Evan, I'll be fine. Besides, you deserve a nice day off."

Evan still looked uncomfortable, but nodded his head and stepped back.

Merlin looked over at Arthur who was staring at Gwen intently. Eventually, Arthur's gaze broke away from her and he said, "Be sure to be back by dark. I hope this trip isn't too upsetting for either of you."

"Thank you, Arthur," Morgana said, giving Arthur a tiny smile.

Morgana, Gwen, and Merlin then set off with a small group of guards. As they rode through the woods Merlin found himself riding beside Morgana.

"So why did you decide to come?" Morgana asked, eyebrows raised.

"I used to come visit my parents' graves all the time," Merlin admitted, "but lately… I haven't… I just thought this was a perfect opportunity to visit."

Morgana nodded her head. "Do you remember your parents at all?"

"No," Merlin admitted. "I can't even remember their faces…" Before Merlin had a chance to dwell on it further, shouting filled the forest and pain exploded in Merlin's chest. The last thing he heard before he hit the ground was a shout of,

"_Merlin!"_

* * *

><p>Arthur's worry for Merlin, Morgana, and Gwen peeked as the sun started to set and there was still no sign of any of them. He grabbed his sword and hurried down to the throne room and threw the doors open.<p>

"Father, there is no sign of Morgana's party."

"Send out a search party," Uther said worriedly. "I want every guard looking for them!"

Arthur bowed deeply and hurried back to his chambers. Even though he knew Merlin was more than capable of taking care of himself, Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. He hurried down to the stables and was surprised to see Evan was already their saddling up two horses.

Evan looked up. "Sire, I know I'm just a servant but Merlin is my friend and I want to make sure he's okay…"

"Evan, you're a servant, not a knight, this could get very dangerous," Arthur warned.

"I should have been there," Evan replied. "I'm going…. Sire…" Evan bowed his head and waited for Arthur to reply.

Arthur sighed in frustration. "Alright, just be careful."

Evan looked up and grinned at Arthur before quickly handing the reins of one of the horses to him.

Arthur wasn't sure were to start looking, so he decided to try and follow the path the party would have taken. He halted his party when he saw bodies on the path, and upon closer inspection he realized that they were the knights sent to guard Morgana and Merlin.

"Merlin!" Evan shouted, running over to a body. Arthur felt sick as he walked over to Evan and couldn't stop the gasp of horror that escaped his lips when he saw Merlin on the ground with an arrow in his chest.

"Is he…?" Arthur began, unable to look.

"He's alive!" Evan exclaimed breathlessly, and Arthur made a split second decision,

"Leon, get Merlin back to Camelot! Make sure Gaius sees him immediately."

"Yes, Sire," Leon replied, gently picking Merlin up.

"Sire look!" Evan exclaimed, reaching over and pulling a letter off of an arrow that was embedded in one of the guards, wincing as he did so.

"It's a ransom note," Evan explained as he read. "They have Morgana!"

"The trail leads this way!" Arthur exclaimed charging into the forest. He prayed that he would get there in time to save Gui- Morgana! He was worried about Morgana!

...But he could be worried about both their lives, right?

Arthur froze when he heard rustling and unsheathed his sword. Pointing it in the direction the sound was coming from. He lowered his sword in surprise when he saw Morgana only wearing her underclothes.

"Where's Guinevere?" Arthur asked. He was sure his heart stopped when Morgana tearfully shook her head.

* * *

><p>Merlin had felt pain before, like when Sofia's father had hit him with the staff, or when Uther had him whipped, but this was different. Every breath hurt, and he couldn't find the willpower to open his eyes.<p>

After what felt like hours of battling himself, Merlin was able to slowly pry his eyes open. For a minute his groggy mind tried to piece together what happened and why he was in so much pain, and then it hit him. They were attacked, he was hurt. But where were Morgana and Gwen? Were they ok? What happened?

Merlin sat up gasping in pain.

"Merlin! You're awake!" Evan shouted.

"What happened…? Are Morgana and Gwen okay?"

"Merlin, you need to calm down," Evan scolded, pushing him back onto the bed. "You're hurt pretty badly."

"Is everyone okay?" Merlin repeated, needing to know everyone was alright.

"We found Morgana, she's a little shaken up but otherwise alright," Evan replied slowly, obviously hiding something.

"Evan…" Merlin began, fear building up inside of him.

"All the guards are dead," Evan admitted, painfully.

"What about Gwen?" Merlin snapped, angry at how Evan was dancing around the subject; angry because deep down he knew it was bad, but unable to accept it.

"They took Gwen," Evan whispered.

"We're going to rescue her, right?" Merlin asked urgently, but Evan only shook his head.

"Uther won't… can't…" Evan whispered.

"He's the King!" Merlin exclaimed. "Of course he can!"

"Morgana tried convincing Uther…" Evan began.

"But?" Merlin prompted.

"Arthur discovered that it was mercenaries who kidnapped Gwen… and they wouldn't have any use for a servant…" Evan didn't need to finish the sentence; Merlin already knew what he was going to say.

"He can't just give up on Gwen!"

"She's just a servant to Uther…" Evan whispered, his voice pained.

"She's still a human being!" Merlin snapped. "And you and I both know that if it was Morgana in danger Uther would be sending an entire army to rescue her."

"What can you do?" Evan asked voice pained.

Merlin's anger faded slightly at Evan's dejected tone. It wasn't this fault this happened; it was Merlin's. He should have been paying more attention! He knew Evan wanted to see Gwen safely returned to Camelot just as much as he did. She was Evan's friend too.

"I can go knock some sense into Arthur," Merlin declared, standing. "In fact, that's what I'm going to do!"

This was his friend he was talking about, not just some servant. He had already failed Gwen once, he couldn't fail her again!


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay guys, it's been a pretty hectic week.**

* * *

><p>Merlin stormed through the castle, ignoring the pain radiating from his chest, his thoughts solely on Gwen. Without even bothering to knock he flung the door to Arthur's chambers open.<p>

"How could you just abandon Gwen like that?" he shouted.

"Merlin…" Arthur sighed, rolling his eyes, but Merlin was too angry to listen.

"I thought you actually cared about her, and what kind of King will you be if you won't help-"

"Merlin!" Arthur snapped, silencing Merlin's speech. He raised a bag and gestured to his attire, grinning.

"Oh…" Merlin replied, finally noticing the armor Arthur wore and the hastily packed bag.

"You of all people should know that I can't publically disagree with father," Arthur scolded.

"So you're going to rescue Gwen?" Merlin asked hopefully.

"Obviously," Arthur sighed.

"I'm coming with-" Merlin declared but Arthur cut him off.

"No!"

"Why not?" Merlin asked angrily. "I could help."

"In case you haven't noticed, you're pretty badly injured," Arthur explained. "This could get dangerous, and I would never forgive myself if you were killed."

Merlin understood, but he didn't want to understand; he wanted to help! Why didn't anyone ever ask for his opinion?

"Why does everyone think that they can decide my fate?" Merlin snapped. "Why can't I decide anything for myself?"

"Of course you can…" Arthur assured comfortingly, but Merlin didn't want to be comforted.

"No. I don't get to decide anything! Everyone seems to have decided my future when I was born! Gaius decided to bind my magic; Uther decided to lock me away; the druids decided I have this great destiny and now you-"

"What about the druids?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised.

Merlin opened and closed his mouth several times, but no sound came out. Would he ever learn to just keep his mouth shut?

"It's a long story and Gwen obviously doesn't have time!" Merlin exclaimed, thinking quickly.

Arthur stared at him for a minute before saying "Just please stay here, rest, and feel better. Maybe when I'm back we can go for a ride or something."

Merlin didn't agree with letting Arthur do this alone, but he wasn't about to tell Arthur that.

"Just bring Gwen back," Merlin whispered.

"I will," Arthur promised.

* * *

><p>As darkness descended over Camelot, Arthur finally allowed himself to rest. He was reluctant to stop, but he knew that he needed to let his horse rest so he decided to stop for a few hours. Arthur knew that he needed to rest too; his body was exhausted, but his mind wouldn't stop whirling.<p>

Arthur jumped to his feet and whipped out his sword when he heard something loudly crashing through the forest, groaning when he saw it was Merlin.

"Merlin! What are you doing here?" Arthur snapped, sheathing his sword.

"What, no 'Hi Merlin how are you?'" Merlin asked teasingly as he got off of his horse, wincing as he did so.

"Merlin, you're hurt," Arthur sighed, exasperated. "You shouldn't be here."

"And I realized you shouldn't be doing this alone," Merlin replied.

"Merlin, I am a warrior trained from birth to kill," Arthur replied. "I can take care of myself!" Arthur couldn't believe what Merlin was doing; doesn't he realize he's only going to get himself killed?

"Just a small group of these people took out all of Morgana's guards," Merlin exclaimed. "You can't do this alone!"

"I have to try!" Arthur exclaimed.

"I can help, you know," Merlin retorted.

"Merlin, look at yourself!" Arthur exclaimed as Merlin leaned heavily against his horse. "You can barely stand!"

"I don't need to," Merlin snapped. "My magic will help!"

"Merlin, go back to Camelot!" Arthur shouted.

"Arthur, be quiet…" Merlin whispered urgently, but Arthur wasn't listening to him.

"Did it ever occur to you that I don't do this because I don't like you or think that you're weak? Did you think that maybe we do this because we care about you…"

"Arthur!" Merlin whisper-yelled, causing Arthur to stop mid-sentence. The clearing was dead silent, and then he heard it, very silent but it was definitely their and getting closer, the sound of hooves.

"Get behind me," Arthur hissed, and Merlin immediately obeyed.

Arthur silently unsheathed his sword, only to lower it again when Evan appeared.

"Evan! What are you doing here?" Merlin demanded.

"Trying to keep you from getting yourself killed!" Evan exclaimed.

"I'll be fine Evan," Merlin assured. "You need to go back to Camelot!"

"Merlin, I'm not just a servant, I'm your friend, and Gwen's as well. I want to help," Evan replied defiantly.

Merlin opened his mouth to reply when Arthur cut him off. "Will Morgana be suddenly joining us too? Or is this everyone?"

"She wanted to come," Evan replied, glaring at Arthur, "but I convinced her to stay."

"Evan, I appreciate your concern, I really do, but you need to stay in Camelot!"

"I'm sorry, my Lord, but I can't do that," Evan replied.

"Evan, I order you to go back to Camelot!" Merlin snapped, fed up with the argument.

"I cannot sit back and watch you ride to your death…" Evan began when once again Arthur interjected.

"I wonder who he's been learning from!" Arthur snapped, glaring at Merlin.

"Arthur! Are you really this big of a prat?"

"I am not a prat!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Yes you are! You seem to think you're only one who cares about Gwen but you're not! If you really cared about Gwen, you'd let us help you."

That stung Arthur deeply; Merlin knew how much Gwen meant to Arthur, and now here he was saying that he did not care about her.

"Why do you think I'm here?" Arthur whispered. "Do you think I'm just rescuing her for the fun of it?"

"No, I don't think that," Merlin whispered, "but we want to help her too."

"So now you're taking his side?" Arthur growled.

Merlin groaned and hung his head back. "When Evan sets his mind to something, there's no changing it… He's coming…"

"He has been learning from you," Arthur grumbled.

Merlin glared at Arthur who ignored him.

"Fine. You both can come, but don't cry when neither of you can keep up!"

Merlin let out the breath he was holding and painfully shuffled over to the fire Arthur had started. Things would have been much easier if Evan hadn't come along; Merlin could have cast a few spells and quickly taken the pain away, he really could have simply used a lot more magic to help out, but he could make things work, somehow.

"Gaius said you might need this," Evan whispered reaching into his bag and pulling out some ointment.

Merlin had seen Gaius use it several times on wounded soldiers.

"Gaius knows too?" Merlin groaned.

"He actually helped with the cover story," Evan explained. "You and Arthur are now going on a short trip to help clear your heads."

"And Uther agreed?" Merlin asked, amazed. Uther was very protective of his children, why would he let them go unless he didn't know about the injury.

"Well… no… but Gaius did assure Uther that the injury was superficial… which it's obviously not but Gaius seems to think you know what you're doing."

"I hope I do…" Merlin whispered, taking the ointment. Merlin was really going at this completely blind. He could only hope that he was doing the right thing.


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N**

** Sorry about the delay guys, I've been super busy lately. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Uther silently stared out the window, waiting for Arthur and Merlin to return home with the servant girl. He knew that Merlin's servant had been lying; Gaius had told him so. Uther also knew that yelling at the boy would do nothing, so he would listen to whatever pathetic excuse they came up with when they returned with the girl. Uther once again found himself wondering why he didn't tell Merlin he knew about his magic. If he was honest with himself, Uther knew that he feared what would happen when he told Merlin. How do you tell the person who had always looked up to you that you are responsible for all those years of sickness? Another irrational part of him feared Merlin may even turn against him or even turn to dark magic; Uther would never be able to forgive himself if Merlin went down that path. So he remained silent, allowing Merlin to sneak off and watching, praying, he would return home again safely.<p>

* * *

><p>As Arthur predicted, Merlin and Evan struggled to keep up with his breakneck speed. Merlin practically had to beg him for any breaks they got, and even then they never stopped for long.<p>

When Merlin couldn't take it anymore he snapped, "I've never seen you like this, Arthur!"

"Like what, exactly?" Arthur asked.

"You really care about her don't you?" Merlin asked.

"So?" Arthur asked, continuing to pack up their hastily made camp.

"Then tell her!" Merlin exclaimed.

"How?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin wanted to make some snide remark about how to talk, but held back when he saw Arthur's face full or raw vulnerability.

"She's a servant, and I'm the future king of Camelot! We can _never_ be together!"

"Who says?" Merlin challenged.

"My father will marry me off to some princess from a rich kingdom or for some alliance. I can't marry for love!"

"Uther did," Merlin whispered. "Uther didn't care that my mother was a peasant."

"That's different…" Arthur argued.

"How?" Merlin demanded.

"Your father was a court sorcerer, he didn't need to marry to make a good alliance or to keep an ally on our side. I, on the other hand, will have to," Arthur explained.

"What about your parents?" Merlin argued.

"They got lucky," Arthur whispered.

"Why can't you?" Merlin asked.

"Things are different now," Arthur whispered.

Before Merlin could say anything else Evan appeared and Arthur jumped onto his horse.

"We need to keep moving."

Merlin shook his head and pulled himself onto his horse, trying to hide the wince as he did so.

"Are you sure you should have come?" Evan asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I'll be fine," Merlin snapped, turning to follow Arthur.

* * *

><p>For a good hour the three of them rode in silence, none of them having anything to say, and none willing to try and talk. Eventually Arthur stopped the group by some large caves and jumped off of his horse, pulling out a map.<p>

"We were told to take the ransom to the Veil of Dinare. If they're holding Gwen anywhere it'll be there. We can save a day's ride by cutting through the Tunnel of Indor."

"What's the catch?" Merlin asked.

"What do you mean catch?" Arthur asked slowly, rolling up the map.

"If these tunnels are so much faster then they'd be the regular route. What's wrong with them?" Merlin clarified.

"They're infested with wildeoren," Arthur began reluctantly.

"Which are?" Merlin prompted.

"Well they're giant… baby… rats," Arthur replied.

"They don't sound too bad…" Merlin began when Arthur hurriedly added:

"That feast on human flesh."

"I say we ride around the caves," Merlin suggested, turning to jump back onto his horse. "Don't you agree, Evan?"

"I couldn't agree more, my Lord," Evan agreed, nodding his head sharply, his face pale.

"Gwen doesn't have time for us to go around!" Arthur exclaimed, looking around frantically. He then walked over to a bush, gesturing to the tiny berries that grew from its branches. "We can use Gaia berries to hide our scent!"

"You're kidding me," Merlin said as Arthur picked a handful of berries, proceeding to smear them all over his face.

"Would you rather be eaten alive?" Arthur asked, eyebrows raised.

"Pass us some berries?" Merlin asked, Evan following suit.

Once they were all sufficiently covered in the berry juice they entered the cave. All three held torches tightly in their hands, jumping at every noise.

"How much further?" Merlin asked after hearing a squeal that sounded particularly close. Arthur threw his torch on the ground and knocked the ones Merlin and Evan held from their grasp.

"Wildeoren!" he hissed. "Hide!"

Once they were safely hidden, what looked like a giant baby rat, appeared.

"Whatever happens, don't move!" Arthur hissed at them.

The Wildeoren slowly made its way over to them, sniffing the air. Merlin stiffened when it reached them and started sniffing him. He had to push down every instinct to run, and instead remain perfectly still. Eventually, the Wildeoren lost interest and left. The three of them stayed in that spot for several minutes, fear keeping them rooted in their spots. Eventually, they stood and ran out of the caves as fast as they could.

Merlin collapsed next to the river, scooping out water and splashing it on his face to wash the berries off.

"So Gaia berries do work…" Arthur commented off-handedly.

Merlin froze.

"You mean you didn't know!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Not for sure," Arthur replied, standing up.

"You were willing to risk us getting _eaten!_" Evan exclaimed before clamping his mouth shut, muttering a quick apology.

"No, Evan, you're right!" Merlin yelled. "I mean _really_? 'Oh what's that Wildeoren eating? Oh it's nothing it's just _Merlin_'"

Grinning slightly, Arthur agreed, "You're both right, I shouldn't have endangered your lives like that."

Merlin smirked. "Love does make you do stupid things."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked.

"I'm sorry, Sire, but, it's kind of obvious that you feel for Gwen," Evan informed Arthur.

"Just tell her how you feel," Merlin urged.

Arthur sighed. "It doesn't matter how I feel; nothing can happen between us! To tell her how I feel, knowing that it can't become anything… that it's all just talk…. It hurts too much…" Arthur refused to look at either of them as he continued, "we had better get going. We have a long trek ahead of us."

* * *

><p>It wasn't until late that night that they reached the Veil of Dinare. Arthur immediately walked over to the wall and started climbing, Evan reluctantly following. Merlin eyed the wall worriedly. Ordinarily he had trouble climbing, but now he was injured; simply walking was painful for him. He muttered a quick spell that would, hopefully, numb the pain so he could focus on climbing.<p>

"Why do we have to climb the wall?" Merlin asked as he started pulling himself up.

"They won't expect it!" Arthur exclaimed.

Merlin had climbed about half way by the time Arthur and Evan had reached the top.

"Hurry up!" Arthur exclaimed, looking around worriedly to make sure there were no guards.

Wincing in pain, Merlin snapped, "I'm going as fast as I can!"

Arthur vanished from the window and reappeared a few seconds later with a rope. He tossed one end down to Merlin who grabbed onto it. Evan and Arthur then quickly pulled Merlin up. Merlin tried not to show any pain.

"Come on, let's hurry!" Arthur exclaimed.

They hurried through the castle, at one point managing to steal some guards' clothes to blend in better. They quickly searched the castle, surprisingly not running into any more guards until they reached a room with a giant cage with at least a hundred people surrounding it. Inside the cage with a Wildeoren was Gwen and, surprisingly, Lancelot. Without even thinking about it, Arthur charged over to the cage and jumped over the wall and inside, cutting Gwen and Lancelot free and tossing Lancelot a spare sword.

"So what are you doing here?" Arthur asked, slashing at the Wildeoren.

"Rescuing Gwen," Lancelot replied. "You?"

"Same," Arthur replied.

Sighing Evan ran to the cage and ungracefully scrambled in and fell onto the floor.

"Evan?" Gwen asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to keep Merlin from killing himself," Evan replied, shrugging.

"We need to take the tunnels!" Arthur shouted. "It's the only way! Merlin, get in here!"

Grumbling, Merlin clamored up the wall and fell into the cage, aggravating his injury. Some man who Merlin guessed to be the leader flung the door open land ran in, sword raised. Merlin painfully dragged himself to his feet and followed Arthur, Gwen, Lancelot, and Evan out.

"Go! I'll hold them off!" Lancelot shouted.

"Lancelot, no!" Gwen exclaimed, but Arthur and Evan grabbed her and dragged her off.

Merlin muttered a quick spell, causing the gate to come crashing down.

The man grabbed onto the gate shouting, "Open the gate!"

The Wildeoren suddenly was behind the man, screeching. Merlin looked away as the man screamed.

"Still up to your old tricks I see," Lancelot commented.

"Could you not mention that to anyone?" Merlin asked.

Lancelot laughed.

The pair caught up to Arthur, Gwen, and Evan at a grate blocking their way.

"Well it's good to see all of you… but where are your knights?" Lancelot asked.

"Not here, it's just us," Arthur replied and Lancelot stared at him incredulously as he continued, "we have to keep moving."

* * *

><p>The next morning, the group woke up to find Lancelot had left.<p>

Merlin knew why Lancelot had gone: he didn't want to come between Arthur and Gwen; but Merlin knew that the biggest divide between the pair was Arthur's own convictions that they could never be together.

The ride to Camelot was made in complete silent. Gwen was heartbroken, Arthur was moody, and Evan was too mad at Merlin to speak; he had apparently decided that now they were safe, he could be angry at Merlin for being stupid.

Despite Evan's iciness towards him, the anger Merlin knew Uther would have, and Gaius's scolding; the look on Morgana's face when she saw Gwen safe would make it all the pain worth it.

**End Notes**

** Hope you guys enjoyed it!**


	64. Chapter 64

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay guys, been feeling under the weather for a while and just couldn't write. As usual a big shout out to my beta Hatstand who continually make's great fixes for me. **

* * *

><p>Merlin sighed as he shifted in his seat, wondering why Uther had demanded that he and Morgana be present to greet Lady Katrina as well. He didn't know who she was and normally when a lord or lady visits Uther didn't need them all to be there.<p>

Merlin was grateful that his injury had healed; it felt liberating not to have the dull throb of pain at the back of his mind. When Arthur and Merlin had returned to Camelot with Gwen a few weeks earlier, Uther had clearly not believed their story about running into Gwen while out riding, but thankfully he hadn't said anything.

Evan had started talking to Merlin again and things where finally back to normal in Camelot.

Merlin straightened up when the doors opened and a woman strode in.

Uther stood. "Lady Katrina, is that really you?" he asked breathlessly.

"I can hardly believe it myself," Katrina replied, curtsying deeply.

"We've had tidings from the North that the house of Tregore had… fallen to invaders," Uther explained.

"All that you have heard is true my lord," Katrina replied, "and worse."

"Your father, the King?"

"Gone, my Lord. The enemy attacked without warning, they outnumbered us five to one. He could not endure. I would have suffered the same fate if it weren't for my faithful servant, Jonas." A creepy looking man, apparently Jonas, bowed his head in greeting. "And we survived… we have made it this far…" Katrina stumbled and Uther and Arthur both stepped out to catch her, Uther beating Arthur who had been closer to her.

"Forgive me, my Lord," she begged breathlessly. "I fear my trials have… taken their toll…" Something about the whole thing seemed fake to Merlin, but he didn't dare say anything. But who was he to judge; she had been through quite a bit.

"I cannot imagine what you have gone through," Uther agreed, blatantly staring at her. "It would be an honor to help you in any way we can."

"A bed for the night would be most welcome," Katrina admitted.

"Consider yourselves our esteemed guests," Uther replied, taking his eyes off of Katrina to nod his head at Jonas.

Merlin didn't particularly like Lady Katrina's servant; the way he watched Katrina and Uther sent shivers down Merlin's spine. The whole situation felt wrong, but he kept trying to tell himself he was simply over-reacting, that it was nothing to worry about.

"Thank you," said Katrina softly.

Merlin could tell instantly that Uther had feelings for her. The way he talked to her implied they had met before so Merlin couldn't help but wonder if Uther had always harbored these emotions.

* * *

><p>Dinner that night was a very awkward affair. Uther only had eyes for Katrina, who kept flirting with Uther. Arthur kept making faces towards Merlin who had to force himself not to laugh while Morgana kept watching them all, a dreamy smile on her face.<p>

Eventually, Arthur yawned loudly. "Sorry, long day of training." He stood and Uther nodded his approval.

"Arthur." Fighting back a sigh of annoyance Merlin stood and turned to Uther. "Gaius wanted to see me, my Lord, to… check up on me."

"Of course," Uther replied, still not taking his eyes off of Katrina.

Merlin quickly caught up to Arthur. "Did you have to do that?" he asked.

"Do what?" Arthur asked innocently.

"Did you have to be such a prat?" Merlin clarified.

"She's throwing herself all over my father, it's disgusting," Arthur groaned.

"She's not so bad," Merlin argued. "When I talked to her she seemed perfectly nice. Evan likes her."

Evan had spoken very highly of Katrina when they briefly spoke earlier. Merlin kept telling himself he was just letting Arthur get to him. They were all on edge after Gwen's kidnapping, it was only natural they'd be a little wary of visitors.

"I'm so happy the servant approves," Arthur commented dryly.

"Uther obviously really likes her," Merlin sighed. "Can't you let them be happy?"

"Can't you tell, she's _throwing_ herself all over him?" Arthur exclaimed. "And her servant… something's not right with him. With either of them, actually."

Merlin couldn't help but agree with Arthur slightly, but he refused to judge her like that; he hadn't even seen much of her.

"Are you sure you're not just… jealous?" Merlin asked slowly. That was it! Arthur was jealous… he hoped.

"_Jealous_?" Arthur spat.

"Uther did seem to have eyes only for Katrina," Merlin explained, shrugging, "it's natural that you'd be a little jealous-"

"_I am not jealous!_" Arthur snapped.

Merlin rolled his eyes, turning to his servant as he passed. "Evan, can you _please_ tell Arthur he's being a prat?"

Evan stopped in front of them and said slowly, "Uhh… you're being a prat?"

"Ha!" Merlin exclaimed. "Even Evan agrees."

"He just said that because you told him to," Arthur sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Begging your pardon, my Lords," Evan interrupted, "but Gaius wants to see you both immediately. He says it's an emergency."

"Emergency?" Arthur asked. "What's going on?"

"He wouldn't say," Evan explained. "He just asked me to get you after I gave him back the potion he sent me to give to Katrina."

By then Arthur and Merlin where heading to Gaius's chambers, both their curiosities peaked.

"Is Katrina sick?" Merlin asked.

"She says she's not," Evan replied, shrugging.

"Then why did Gaius send her something?" Arthur wondered.

Once they reached Gaius's chambers, Arthur walked right in without even knocking. "What's going on, Gaius?"

"See that? This is one of those prat-ish things I was telling you about," Merlin informed Arthur.

"Focus, you two!" Gaius exclaimed.

Merlin resisted to the urge to remind Gaius of all the times he would get distracted in the middle of an emergency but refrained himself.

"As Evan probably told you, I sent Lady Katrina a potion that she sent back."

"So?" Arthur asked. "She doesn't look sick."

"Exactly!" Gaius exclaimed, looking at them like the answer was obvious.

"Could you explain why someone being healthy is a bad thing, because I'm not following," Arthur sighed.

"When I treated her when she was younger, I diagnosed her with an incurable bone disease that would cause her great pain, especially after a day of riding, and only my remedy would bring her relief."

"She had no idea what it was; she didn't even want it," Evan chimed it.

"She walks like you or I: just fine," Merlin added.

"That potion was a test," Arthur concluded.

"Exactly," Gaius agreed. "Something tells me Uther's lady friend isn't really Lady Katrina.

"I knew it," Arthur growled.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "You're just saying that because you're jealous of the fact that she's getting all the attention now and you're not," he teased.

"Oh for the love of-" Arthur began.

"Listen, we need to find out for sure if this is Lady Katrina and if not find out whom this really is," Gaius informed them, and Merlin wanted to groan. _Why couldn't they get a break?_

"How do we do that?" Merlin asked.

"I could go in her chambers," Evan offered. "No one will question a servant cleaning."

"That might work," Gaius agreed.

Merlin hoped that his instincts were wrong; hoped that they were all just reading into this too deeply, but deep down he knew it wasn't true.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Jonas really creeps me out, did right from the begining. Anyways hope you enjoyed it!**


	65. Chapter 65

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay guys, school's EVIL!**

* * *

><p>It had taken a lot of convincing, but eventually Arthur agreed to tell Morgana what they knew. She had been skeptical when Merlin told her about the fake Lady Katrina, but had seemed much more inclined to believe them when Evan burst in, breathless and terrified.<p>

"What happened?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"She… he… Jonas…. I…" Evan stammered, unable to complete a coherent sentence.

"Evan, slow down. What happened?"

Evan nodded frantically, making Merlin even more nervous.

"Well I was in Lady Katrina's room and it smelled terrible in there, like something was rotten and her bed looked like it wasn't slept in… and… well…"

"What?" Morgana asked, looking worried.

"As I was leaving… I only glimpsed it for a second but… it looked like Jonas had… a…a tail…"

"A… Tail?" Morgana asked, horrified.

Evan nodded his head, bracing himself for laughter.

"I believe you, Evan," Merlin assured.

Evan stared at him in shock.

"Really?" Evan asked, looking heartened. It hurt Merlin slightly that Evan thought he wouldn't believe him when he'd been right on so many other things. After all that had happened though, Merlin could see why Evan thought he didn't trust him.

"I believe you," Merlin assured.

"As crazy as it sounds," Arthur began, "I do trust your judgment."

Arthur's encouragement caused a huge grin to form on Evan's face. This was another one of those moments where Arthur really showed the king he would one day be. He was willing to listen to his people and really hear what they said.

I'll buy that Jonas is creepy," Morgana began, "but we can't assume something is wrong with Lady Katrina just because of her servant. We need to get more proof before we say anything to Uther."

* * *

><p>Later that night Merlin and Arthur were in the Prince's chambers trying to figure out what to do about Katrina, when Merlin noticed the mirror. Grinning, Merlin picked up the mirror and pushed the window open.<p>

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

"We can try and find out for sure what Katrina's doing," Merlin replied, muttering a spell causing the mirror to float down.

"So we're _spying_ on Katrina?" Arthur asked.

"No, we're finding out what Katrina's up to," Merlin corrected.

"This looks very bad Merlin," Arthur warned.

Merlin rolled his eyes and gestured for Arthur to come over. The mirror slowly adjusted itself to help give them a good view into the bed room. Merlin and Arthur both stiffened when they saw what was in Katrina's room. The thing they saw in the mirror wore Katrina's dress, but it definitely was _not_ Katrina. Arthur stumbled back, gaping, and Merlin remained frozen at the window until the door banged open. Merlin jumped, causing the mirror to crash to the ground.

"What was that?" Morgana asked, walking over to the pair.

"Do you knock?" Arthur snapped angrily.

Morgana peered down at the ground and frowned. "Are you two spying on Katrina?"

"We were trying to… trying to see…" Merlin stammered.

"Are you alright, Merlin?" Morgana asked, looking genuinely concerned.

"Katrina…I…" Merlin shook his head and ran out of the room, trusting Arthur to explain everything to Morgana. He hurried down to Katrina's chambers and followed the… thing as it made its way to the stables. As he got closer, a horrible stench filled his nostrils as he had to use his sleeve to cover his nose to block the smell. Merlin cautiously peered inside and gagged when he saw the creature. Whatever it was, it was fat, brown, and kept farting.

Repulsed, Merlin hurried to Gaius's chambers.

* * *

><p>"It's a troll, I'm sure of it," Gaius informed him once he'd explained everything he'd seen. "They prefer to stay in their nests feasting on rotten food."<p>

"What's a troll doing in Camelot?" Merlin asked.

"Trolls are greedy and power hungry," Gaius replied. "This troll has taken Lady Katrina's form to get ahold of Uther's power."

"What should we do?" Merlin asked.

"I will tell Uther the truth," Gaius declared.

"So you're going to tell Uther that his lady friend is a troll?" Merlin asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes," Gaius replied confidently.

* * *

><p>Merlin squirmed impatiently in his chair as he waited for Gaius to return from his talk with Uther. Gaius insisted that Uther would listen to reason, but Merlin doubted that there was anything that could be said that would make Uther see sense. As such, Merlin was unsurprised to see a very dejected Gaius walk into his chambers later that evening, Arthur in tow.<p>

"I can tell Uther that Katrina is a troll until I'm blue," Gaius informed them, "he won't listen."

"What can we do?" Arthur asked, looking equally dejected.

Gaius looked at Merlin pointedly.

"Are you thinking-" Merlin exclaimed.

"It's the only way," Gaius replied gravely.

"I can't use magic in front of the king!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Merlin, I don't want to put you in danger like this, but we can't let this troll gain any more control over Uther!" Gaius explained.

Merlin was sick of always having to save the day, sick of all the danger that seemed to lurk at every corner. Why couldn't he get a break? Why couldn't Camelot be safe for a little while?

"I don't know anything about troll magic," Merlin sighed.

"Then we best get reading."

The next day, Gaius, Merlin, and Arthur where all sitting in the physician's chambers, flipping through Gaius's many volumes when Morgana burst in.

"What are you three up too?" Morgana asked.

"Umm… research?" Gaius replied, trying to subtly hide the covers to the magic books.

Merlin suddenly remembered that he never told Arthur or Gaius that Morgana knew about his magic.

"Guys, it's ok: she knows," Merlin informed them guiltily.

"You told you know who about you know what?" Arthur hissed.

"I had to," Merlin mumbled.

"Merlin telling so many people is dangerous!" Arthur exclaimed.

"You told _them_ but not me?" Morgana hissed.

Merlin scrambled to find a good explanation. "Look… Arthur was there when I lost control of my magic; there was _nothing_ I could do about it. Gaius… he's known ever since I was a baby. But you Morgana, you're the first person I've _willingly_ told. It's not that I didn't want to, but Arthur's right; the more people who know, the easier it will be for Uther to discover my magic." He locked eyes with Morgana; hoping, begging her silently to understand; praying Arthur didn't point out that Merlin had practically _begged_ him to believe that he had magic. Morgana stared at Merlin for a minute before stiffly nodding her head.

"What can I do to help?" Morgana asked.

"I've found it!" Merlin shouted several hours later, startling Arthur who had started to nod off.

Morgana and Gaius both looked up hopefully as Merlin slammed the book down in front of Gaius. "The spell of revelation with which the true nature of a thing can be revealed."

"But Merlin, this is for objects, not living things."

"Well… the principle's the same," Merlin replied reluctantly. "I have to try it! What other choice do I have?" They'd been searching for hours, and they hadn't found anything on spells more powerful than troll magic; this was the best they had.

"Merlin's right," Arthur agreed. "This is the only chance we have."

Gaius studied Merlin carefully for a minute before agreeing,

"Alright, but choose your moment carefully, trolls are vicious creatures."

Suddenly there was a frantic knocking at the door.

"Come in," said Gaius as he shut the book and subtly placed another safer one on top.

A guard threw the door open and informed them breathlessly: "The king requests your presence in the throne room immediately."


	66. Chapter 66

**A/N**

**This chapter is based heavily off of the episode, so it is kind of slow, but in the next chapter things should pick up. Thanks for all the amazing reviews guys and as always a BIG shoutout to my awsome beta Hatstand. **

* * *

><p>Merlin stood next to Arthur and watched as the entire court filed into the throne room.<p>

"Any idea as to why Uther wants everyone to hear whatever it is he's going to say?" Merlin whispered.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Arthur replied, shrugging.

Evan stood next to Merlin stiffly as Uther walked in, Katrina holding his arm, and everyone bowed deeply as the two made their way to the throne.

"Thank you all for coming, "Uther began, looking extremely lovesick.

"Like we had a choice," Merlin muttered.

Arthur glared at Merlin as Uther continued.

"…though we live in dark times, today I bring you light and love." Arthur rolled his eyes and Morgana looked at Gwen, worried. "It gives me great pleasure to inform you that the houses of Tregor and Pendragon are to be united in the closest bond of all. I am to marry Lady Katrina of Tregor."

Arthur and Merlin stood frozen as the crowd started to clap reluctantly. Arthur elbowed Merlin and both started to clap as well.

Katrina whispered something into Uther ears and he added, "I am to wed Lady Katrina, tomorrow."

Jonas started clapping, looking smug, and Merlin saw Gaius nod his way. Merlin nodded back and slipped behind the pillar.

Uther was beaming as he continued, "This union heralds a new dawn for the kingdom, a new beginning…"

Merlin tuned Uther out as he began the spell, his focus entirely on Katrina. He saw Katrina's smile falter as he repeated the spell over and over. Her face started to shift and bubble; it was working. Merlin hissed the spell again, and then gasped as he felt her magic fighting him. He stumbled back slightly as Uther finished and Katrina grabbed his arm, dragging him out of the throne room, a deep frown on her face.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry, guys. Her magic… it was too strong," Merlin exclaimed miserably.<p>

"It did affect her, though," Morgana consoled. "She had to fight pretty hard."

"You need to be careful," Arthur stated.

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"I think Jonas saw you using magic," Arthur explained.

Merlin frowned slightly and bit his lip worriedly. "Do you think they'll… try anything?" he asked.

"You're the King's ward, Merlin," Gaius assured him calmly.

"But the King's under Katrina's spell," Arthur reminded them solemnly.

"Who knows what she'll make him do," Merlin agreed.

A feeling of despair settled over them; they all knew how powerful Katrina was, and she had the King under her thumb. There was no telling what would happen.

* * *

><p>Later, Merlin was heading back to his chambers when he heard someone crying in the hall. He cautiously followed the sound until he found Jonas sitting in an alcove, sobbing. Merlin cautiously approached him.<p>

Jonas looked up and gasped, "Master Merlin!"

Merlin stared at Jonas uncertainly, it seemed like he was trying suck up to him.

"What's wrong?" Merlin asked wearily.

Jonas stood and scrambled over to Merlin. He cautiously peered around the corner before hurriedly explaining

"I am a slave, a prisoner…"

"What are you talking about?" Merlin asked suspiciously. Something about this felt very wrong.

"My mistress is not as she seems," Jonas continued shakily, "but you know as much."

"Go on," said Merlin, still uneasy.

"She is a cruel wicked creature. She keeps me in chains," Jonas informed Merlin, rolling up his sleeves to show some very familiar marks, causing the scars on his wrist to tingle, "She hurts me… her magic, I cannot escape it. She twists my mind like she twists the mind of your king."

"Why are you telling me this?" Merlin asked.

Why would Jonas tell _him_ this? Why not go to Arthur, or someone else. It didn't make sense.

"I can help you," Jonas whispered.

"How?" Merlin asked, his mind reeling.

"Under the castle where she sleeps, she keeps her potions there. Every night she must take these potions; it is the magic that changes her from beast to beauty. If you were to take those from her, she would have to remain a beast and then your king would not be so keen I think."

"Tell me, Jonas," Merlin began, "why should I believe any of this?"

But then he thought of the injuries on Jonas's wrist.

"You must do as you see fit, Master Merlin," Jonas admitted.

_Why does he keep __calling me 'Master'?_ Merlin wondered. He was no master. It was all dry flattery to him.

"But if my mistress is not stopped by morning she will become queen."

* * *

><p>Maybe Merlin was desperate, maybe he was stupid, or maybe he just wanted to see the best in people; he wasn't quite sure. But that night Merlin found himself heading down to where Katrina slept, looking for a potion her servant claimed was down there.<p>

Shortly after speaking with Jonas, Merlin had found Arthur and told him of Jonas's claim. As much as Arthur didn't like it, he agreed it was worth it to go and see if it was true. Merlin quickly found where Lady Katrina slept, covered his nose and made sure to breathe through his mouth he dug through the filth, trying to find the potion.

"You won't find anything there, boy," a deep voice mocked.

Merlin spun around and found himself face to face with the troll. Before he could do anything the troll cast a spell causing the wall to cave in. Merlin was knocked over by the blast and when it was over, he found to his dismay, the only way out was blocked.

Merlin cast a spell to push the rubble out of the way, but nothing happened. He tried again only to have the same result. With dismay, Merlin realized the troll had placed powerful spells to keep him trapped.

* * *

><p>Arthur was starting to get worried; Merlin had promised he'd speak to him after he'd gone down to where Katrina slept, but he never did. The night before, Arthur had assumed Merlin would come by in the morning, but it was getting closer and closer to the time for the wedding and Merlin still hadn't come.<p>

Arthur dressed fully in his 'prince' outfit, as Merlin would teasingly call it, walked down the aisle beside his father, smiling and acting like everything was perfect; but inside, he was panicking. If Merlin didn't figure something out soon, Katrina would be queen and all would be lost.

He looked over at Morgana and frowned when he still didn't see Merlin. Morgana looked at Arthur worriedly and he shrugged helplessly. He looked for Gaius, hoping the physician might have an idea, but he was as clueless as Arthur.

The fear set in. What if it was a trap? What if Katrina had injured Merlin? Arthur was trapped.

Katrina walked down the aisle, looking beautiful; the complete opposite of what he knew was on the inside.

Arthur tuned Geoffrey out as he conducted the ceremony, desperately trying to think of _something_ he could do, a way to stall or something. But what could he do without risking the King's wraith?

Before Arthur could think of anything, Uther and Katrina leaned in and kissed, just as Merlin burst in. Everyone started clapping, and Arthur looked over at Merlin who had a look of utter despair on his face.

They'd failed. Katrina was now queen.


	67. Chapter 67

**A/N**

**There's going to be a slight change of pace in this episode actually, they'll be in Arthurs POV instead of Merlin's. To me, this episode focused a lot more on Arthur and I really wanted to show that so the whole thing will be from Arthur's POV, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Arthur knew Katrina was bad, but he could hardly believe how much control she had over Uther. Katrina had accused Merlin of stealing her family seal, and now Uther was ordering Arthur to arrest him for robbery, no trial, no chance to explain, nothing.<p>

Arthur sent his men to search the grounds then hurried to Merlin's chambers. Without knocking, Arthur threw the door open.

"Merlin, you need to get out now!"

Smirking Merlin replied, "Arthur last time I checked these where _my_ chambers…"

"I meant out of Camelot!" Arthur snapped, making Merlin freeze.

"What?" Merlin asked, disbelief written plainly across his face.

"Lady Katrina has accused you of stealing from her and my father has ordered your arrest," Arthur explained, trying desperately to retain control of his emotions.

A look of horror flashed across Merlin's features; he knew exactly what Uther did to thieves.

"You know that I would never-" Merlin began desperately.

"You don't have time," Arthur snapped. "You need to go now!"

Merlin stood in the middle of his chambers, frozen.

There was knocking on the door and a voice asked, "Merlin? Are you in there?"

Arthur shoved him towards the servants entrance. "Go!" he snapped.

* * *

><p>"I fear Merlin has managed to slip away," Arthur informed Uther calmly.<p>

"You're very quick to give up the chase," Katrina commented sourly.

"Because I know my quarry is long gone," Arthur replied, hating Katrina more and more by the second. That evil lying troll…

"How can you be so certain?" Uther demanded.

"You and I both know Merlin isn't stupid," Arthur replied. "He must have gotten wind that we were looking for him and slipped away."

"Outwitting your army in the process," Lady Katrina commented.

Arthur tried to keep his face emotionless. "It appears so."

"I thought your men were taught to the high standard my father instilled in you," Katrina informed Uther.

"When I led the army they did," Uther assured, glaring at Arthur.

"We don't even know that he's still in Camelot," Arthur explained.

"Are you saying that's a good enough reason to stop?" Katrina demanded, looking enraged.

"No, I'm just saying that our resources may be…"

"I've heard enough; _we've_ heard enough. I want the boy found!"

Arthur bowed, a bad taste left in his mouth. In the past Uther had always listened to Arthur's council, now it was meaningless. He was abandoning his family for a _troll_, and Merlin was just a boy to him. Katrina had much more control over Uther than any of them had realized.

* * *

><p>Arthur had expected Morgana to be angry or act coldly towards him, but she did neither. When they ran into each other in the corridor she acted even more pleasant towards him than usual.<p>

"Hello Arthur, how are you today?" Morgana asked sweetly.

"Are you alright…?" Arthur asked slowly.

She smiled innocently at Arthur before replying, "What? Can't I be nice to you?"

"Usually it leads to pain and suffering on my part," Arthur commented dryly.

Morgana shrugged and continued on. After a moment Arthur decided to follow her to her chambers. He threw the doors open and found himself face to face with Merlin.

"_Mer_lin!" Arthur exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" If Merlin was caught...

"Well, I needed to hide from the guards and-" Merlin explained.

"No, I mean in Camelot!" Arthur shouted. "If you're caught-"

"I've been careful," Merlin assured.

"We're trying to find a way to stop Katrina," Morgana explained.

"Any ideas?" Arthur asked. The only possible way that Arthur could think of to stop Katrina would be to somehow prove to Uther that she was a troll, but how? Gaius even told them nothing he said could do anything. If they could somehow show her as a troll…

"I've stolen one of her potions and Gaius is trying to make one that looks and tastes exactly like it…"

"So she'll keep taking it thinking it will change her…" Arthur continued

"And she'll turn into a troll," Merlin finished, grinning.

"Do you think it will work?" Morgana asked.

"We have to try," Merlin replied.

This _had_ to work, if they failed… Arthur didn't even want to think about it.

* * *

><p>For the second time that day Arthur was summoned to the throne room to see his father. Did he really think Arthur should have 'found' Merlin by now? Arthur tried to remain calm as he passed through the vast doors.<p>

"There is something I… we… wish to address," Arthur began, holding tightly onto Katrina's hand. Arthur had a bad feeling about this, but kept his face emotionless. He couldn't let Katrina know he knew. He had to act innocent…

"For too long the people have had it easy; they've grown fat off of our indulgence."

"How so?" Arthur asked, having a feeling that Katrina was involved in this.

"We provide peace, protection, food, and they give us very little in return," Uther explained as if it were obvious.

_ Trolls crave power and money… _Pushing Gaius's words out of his mind Arthur explained just as calmly, "Most of the people are very poor, they survive on the few crops they grow."

"That's what they'd want you to think," Katrina snapped.

"It's what I see every day," Arthur growled, slowly losing control of his temper. The people couldn't survive if the Crown took any more from them! How could his father not see that?

"We are imposing a new tax," Uther declared.

"The people must pay for the sanctuary that Camelot provides," Katrina added.

Arthur felt sickened by their words; couldn't Uther see what Katrina was doing? The people would die if they did this!

"We can't!" Arthur exclaimed. "Most people can barely survive as it is…"

"Those who refuse to pay will be publicly flogged," Uther continued, glaring at Arthur.

Arthur wanted to argue, wanted to make him see reason but he knew it was pointless. "We've lived this way for years; you've never suggested anything like this before…" he began slowly.

"Not to you," Katrina snapped. "The king confided in me that he's been considering this for some time, right Uther?"

The necklace around Uther's neck started to glow.

"Yes, I have."

Was he enchanted? Arthur didn't get a chance to ponder this for very long. Uther turned back to Arthur and declared, "You are to begin the collections at once."

* * *

><p>Arthur could hardly believe what was happening: in only a few days Katrina had all but seized complete control of Camelot, and he couldn't do a thing about it. Arthur walked through the lower town, freezing when he saw a man being forced onto his knees by a pair of guards.<p>

"What are you doing?"

"He's refusing to pay the kings tax!" one guard exclaimed.

"You ask for too much! I've given all I can!" the old man exclaimed.

"That's not enough!" the guard snapped, shaking the man.

"Let me see," Arthur ordered. The guard instantly handed Arthur the small pouch and Arthur peered inside. There were only a few coins inside, more than likely it was all the money the man had. Arthur looked around at the people that had gathered to see what was happening. All of them looked miserable. He couldn't do this; they suffered enough as it was.

Arthur tossed the bag to the man. "Release him."

"But the king said-" The guard protested, but Arthur had heard enough,

"Release him! And give them back their money. All of it."

The guards nodded their heads, opened a large chest, and began to return its contents to its original owners. Arthur stormed back towards the castle, the people bowing to him as he walked by, beaming.


	68. Chapter 68

**A/N**

** Wow, I managed to update more quickly this time!**

"I gave you a direct order!" Uther snapped at Arthur, who calmly watched. The moment Uther heard what Arthur had done he'd summoned him to the throne room.

"The people cannot pay the tax," Arthur explained.

"Don't tell me you're naïve enough to believe them," Katrina scolded.

"We have their loyalty their goodwill, do not forsake that by making unreasonable demands," Arthur pleaded. He knew the people couldn't pay these new taxes, how could anyone _not_ see that? Children died every day from starvation or sickness because they couldn't afford food or medicine. How could Uther _not_ see this?

"Is it so unreasonable for a king to expect his citizens to obey him?" Katrina asked patronisingly.

"They'll starve!" Arthur growled, his hate for Katrina growing by the minute. It was his duty to protect his people; he would not stand by and let them starve!

"Nonsense!" Uther declared standing up, the strange necklace glowing again. _It must have something to do with this…_ Arthur thought desperately. "You've grown too soft, remember these are your subjects, not your friends."

"Why can't they be both?" Arthur asked. How could Uther not see that the people's loyalty was more important than money?

"Because we rule the people, not the other way around," Uther replied without hesitation.

"I think you're wrong," Arthur responded.

"I beg your pardon?" Uther growled. He had never minded before, well not this much anyway, when Arthur disagreed with him. How did Katrina gain so much power over Uther?

The King walked over to Arthur, glaring at him with more anger than he ever remembered seeing, but the Prince held his ground.

"I said you're wrong. Without the people there is no Camelot; we're as much their servants as they are ours. I will not let them starve." Arthur meant it with every fibre of his being.

"You allow him to address you in this manner?" Katrina asked, walking over to Uther.

"No I do not," Uther growled, glaring at Arthur. "It will not be tolerated. You will take your men down into the town and go to the houses to collect the payments I demand!"

Arthur didn't care at that point what Uther did to him; he would not let his people suffer. "I will not."

"Get out of my sight," Uther growled.

Arthur gave a short nod before turning and leaving the throne room as calmly as possible. It took all of his willpower to not storm back into the throne room and run Katrina through with his sword. No, he needed patience. Merlin would think of something… Arthur hoped.

Arthur collapsed into one of the chairs in his chambers, exhausted. Why did his father do this to him? There was a knock on the door and Arthur pulled himself together.

"Enter."

Gwen opened the door slightly and peered inside cautiously.

"Guinevere," Arthur greeted, smiling.

"I saw what you did out there," Gwen informed Arthur. "The people owe you a debt of gratitude."

"The people owe me nothing," Arthur corrected, a deep feeling of failure filling up inside him. "My father will still impose the tax… nothing I say will sway him. He's cast me aside…"

"The King loves you," Gwen assured gently.

"You should have heard the way he spoke to me… seen the way he _looked_ at me…" Arthur whispered, feeling sick.

"I'm sure he was angry but you're still his son," Gwen replied comfortingly. "Everyone appreciates what you did, they know you tried and they will never forget that."

"Maybe my father's right," Arthur sighed. "One day… I will be king, and I can't be both the people's friend and their king…"

"That's not true!" Gwen exclaimed. "And you will prove it when you become king. You have a kind heart, Arthur; don't change. Not for anyone."

Gwen's words filled Arthur with warmth, but before he could say anything there was a knock at the door and Leon walked in.

"The king has sent for you."

The way he said it filled Arthur with dread. Even Leon looked glum and worried.

When Arthur entered the throne room he was surprised to see the entire court inside as well.

"Father?" he asked, trying to fight down his feelings of dread.

"I am relaxing your duties, revoking your title," Uther informed Arthur.

"What?" Arthur exclaimed, horrified.

"We live in dangerous times. I cannot allow you to undermine my authority," Uther replied stiffly.

Everything about this whole situation was so _wrong_. "You've always welcomed my counsel in the past…" Arthur began, confused. Uther's never done anything like this before. Ever.

"You stood against me for all the people to see," Uther growled, hate and anger evident in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. Any future grievances I have will be held in private…" Arthur assured.

"It's too late for that," Uther snapped.

"Father…" Arthur began, but Uther wasn't listening.

"You are to be disinherited with immediate effect!" Uther declared, loudly enough for everyone to hear. Arthur heard a collective gasp, but he wasn't paying attention to them: his focus was on his father. "You are no longer crown prince of Camelot."

Arthur couldn't look at anyone in the room, too ashamed and embarrassed to do anything.

"Uther, Arthur is your son the natural heir…" Gaius protested.

"Gaius," Arthur said, silencing him. He didn't want Gaius getting into trouble, not for him. He turned back to his father. "You've always taught me to be true to my heart, and that's all I've tried to do; to be the man you've always wanted to be, to be the man you were proud to call your son!" Maybe, just maybe he could get through to Uther…

"My decision is final," Uther replied evenly.

The only thing Arthur could see in Uther's eyes was disappointment and rejection. He couldn't speak; his stomach was turning painfully inside of him, threatening to spill its contents out in front of everyone. Arthur fled the throne room, not looking anyone in the eye, without any air of authority. The only thing he could see was Uther's hate filled eyes.

Arthur could feel Morgana's eyes boring into his back during the ceremony, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her. He felt ashamed and useless; why else would Uther disinherit him? Arthur could hear Geoffrey giving the ceremony, but paid little attention to it until he heard Katrina's voice break the solemn quiet.

"Well get on with it then! I mean, where did you dig up this old crone?" she complained.

Arthur looked up at Katrina, who was looking more and more uncomfortable. Uther continued to smile at her, looking completely lovesick.

"She's right, get on with it," Uther agreed, still smiling goofily.

Arthur looked over at Morgana who looked just as horrified as he felt. He stared at Katrina in shock.

"I will, I will…" Geoffrey tried to finish the ceremony.

"Oh just shut up and give me the crown!" Katrina snapped. Geoffrey nodded and slowly picked up the crown to give Katrina. "Oh hurry up!" She snatched the crown out of a surprised Geoffrey's hands and fled the throne room.

"Katrina!" Uther exclaimed, still looking completely lovesick. After a moment he ran out after her and, after a moment's hesitation, Arthur and Morgana followed.

They hurried after Uther who seemed to know exactly where Katrina was going. Eventually they caught up to her at the entrance to the council chambers. She was frantically tugging at the door shouting, "Open up!" Then froze. Her skin started to bubble and turn a disgusting shade of brown. Arthur looked over at Morgana who looked like she was going to gag and Uther who still looked, impossibly, lovesick. Suddenly instead of Lady Katrina, the troll stood in front on them.

_Merlin did it! Uther has to see the truth now…_

"She's… a troll…" Morgana gasped.

"How dare you!" Uther snapped, to Arthur's horror. Couldn't he see she really was a troll!

"Just look at the state of her!" Arthur exclaimed.

Uther continued to look at Katrina lovingly. Katrina looked at the door and then ripped it off its hinges and fled.

"She just ripped a door off of its hinges. Doesn't that tell you something?" Arthur asked.

"Enough!" Uther roared.

"She's a troll!" Arthur bellowed, unable to believe what was happening. "A giant grey…"

"Stinky!" Morgana added.

"... Stinky troll!"

"Stop it!" Uther snapped, picking up Katrina's discarded crown. "Haven't you hurt her feelings enough? Insult my wife again and it will be the last thing you do!" Uther then stormed out of the room leaving a shocked Arthur and Morgana behind.

_ Am I really so bad a son that a troll is the better option?_


	69. Chapter 69

Arthur sat in his chambers, feeling more and more depressed. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his father chose that _monster_ over his own son. There was a knock at his door and he mumbled, "Come in."

Morgana poked her head in and asked, "Arthur? Are you ok?"

Arthur sighed and grumbled, "My fathers married a troll, disinherited me and threatened to kill me if I insulted his troll wife again. How do you _think_ I feel right now?" He expected to hear a cheeky remark from her, but once again was surprised when she assured:

"Don't worry; Merlin and Gaius will fix this."

"He still chose a troll over me," Arthur whispered.

"You don't know that," Morgana countered.

"He disinherited me! His own son!" Arthur shouted. "Maybe… I'm just a horrible son…"

"You're ten times the man Uther ever was," Morgana retorted, looking completely serious.

Arthur locked eyes with Morgana. "Do you really think that?" he asked.

"You're going to be the best king Camelot has ever seen," Morgana replied, looking like she meant every word.

"You've been talking to Merlin," Arthur accused.

"He's right," was all Morgana would say.

Arthur felt a warm glow in his chest at Morgana's words. They actually believed in him. But then Uther's hard face flashed through his mind again, destroying the warmth, ice forming in its place. Arthur nodded his head stiffly just as the door flew open.

"We've found a way to break the spell!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Spell?" Arthur asked.

"Katrina has Uther under some spell making him unable see what she really is," Merlin explained. "Gaius and I found a way to break the spell!"

"How?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"We have to kill you," Merlin said quickly.

Arthur's joy fading instantly. "Suddenly I'm not liking this plan," he informed Merlin.

"Look, we need to make Uther cry tears of regret," Merlin explained; "so we just need to make him _think_ you've died and BOOM! The spell with be broken!"

"It won't work," Arthur sighed.

"Don't worry. Gaius made a potion that will only make it _look_ like you've died. It's perfectly safe-" Merlin assured, but Arthur cut him off,

"It's not that… Well not _entirely_ that. My father doesn't love me. He wouldn't _cry_ over me…"

"You're his son, Arthur," Merlin assured. "He loves you more than anything."

"Then why has he pushed me aside in favor of a _troll_?" Arthur demanded.

"It's the spell. That's what's making Uther do these things," Merlin assured. "He wants to _execute_ me, Arthur. You and I both know he doesn't really think of us like that."

Arthur locked eyes with Merlin, who looked back at him determinedly. There was a knock at the door and Arthur said, "Come in," breaking eye contact with Merlin.

Gaius slipped in. "Did Merlin tell you the plan?" he asked. Arthur nodded and Gaius continued, "I have the potion here…"

"What does it do?" Arthur asked, cutting him off.

"It will slow down your heart rate and breathing. The effects will immediately be reversed once you take the antidote… well, if you take within a half hour…"

"What happens after a half hour?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"You really die," Merlin said quickly, looking away.

"I thought you said it was safe!" Arthur exclaimed.

"If you get the antidote it is," Gaius reasoned.

Arthur stared at the pair incredulously; they were willing to risk his life to help his father? Did everyone dislike him that much?

Merlin must have read Arthur's mind. "Arthur, it's not like that! If we don't fix this your people will all die!"

"And you…?" Morgana whispered, locking eyes with him.

Merlin looked away and Arthur snatched the bottle out of Gaius's hand, his gut twisting painfully, and drank the contents of the bottle. He hoped that Uther suffered knowing Arthur had 'killed' himself. The foul liquid burned his throat as he drank it, and Arthur had to keep himself from gaging. At first nothing happened, then his vision started swimming and he toppled over. He felt someone's arms wrap protectively around him before gently laying him on the hard floor.

"Time to break the news to the King," Gaius said solemnly.

Arthur heard footsteps slowly walking away and then heard Merlin whisper, "Please… let this work…" Somehow he knew that Merlin wasn't talking about the antidote.

Arthur couldn't keep track of time, all he was sure of was he couldn't move, and he could hardly breathe. He barely comprehended what was happening around him. It was like he was trapped inside his own body. He felt someone wrap their arms around him and cradle him against them gently.

"My son… it's all my fault," Arthur heard his father sob. Uther was upset? He heard someone clumsily lumber in and then felt someone trying to wrench him out of the safety of his father's arms.

"No! There's nothing you can do for him!" Arthur felt his father hold him tighter and whisper brokenly, "I did this to my own son!"

He heard Uther's strangled gasp and he fell to the floor. Pain flared inside of him and he heard more talking and crashing. He tried to get up to help, but he felt himself slipping away. He was lying here actually dying and no one knew. Merlin wasn't going to make it, he was going to die and maybe his father would die at the troll's hands with him… Arthur felt something dripping down his throat and sat up, filled with energy.

"Arthur?" Uther asked, eyes lighting up.

Arthur locked eyes with his father momentarily before turning his attention to Katrina. Katrina flung herself at him, but Arthur was easily able to sidestep her. But then someone hit him from behind, sending him toppling towards the wall. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Jonas topple to the floor lifelessly. Katrina charged at Arthur, stumbling and toppling to the ground. Without thinking about it, Arthur stabbed her with his sword. Katrina farted and then gasped in pain before going still. Arthur pulled his sword out of the troll's body and turned to his father.

"You're alive…" Uther whispered, tears of joy leaking out of his eyes. The spell was broken.

Later, Arthur; Merlin; and Morgana stood before Uther, who looked at the small group solemnly.

"I owe all of you an apology," Uther sighed. "I did many things I regret."

Arthur nodded his head stiffly, and Morgana glared at Uther.

_ Yeah, good apology, father,_ Arthur thought bitterly, knowing that was the best he'd get from Uther.

"Needless to say you are released from all charges," Uther continued, nodding at Merlin.

"Thank you, Sire," Merlin mumbled, looking miserable.

Uther nodded his head, indicating the conversation was over. The three of them silently left the throne room, Arthur still fuming. It was like his father didn't even care how much his actions had hurt them. He had wanted to _execute_ Merlin!

"Arthur? Its ok, I'm… I don't blame Uther for what he did," Merlin assured gently, seeing the look on Arthur's face.

"You should," Arthur whispered. "I should also thank you."

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"If you hadn't helped, I'd still have a troll for a stepmom." Arthur explained.

Merlin grinned at Arthur and wrapped his arms around him, grinning.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked awkwardly.

"I thought you were going in for a hug," Merlin explained, not letting go.

"Uhh… no I wasn't," Arthur replied.

"Oh… well you get one anyways," Merlin replied cheekily. Some things never change.

**End Notes**

** Haha sorry, couldn't resist adding the hug. Let me know what you thought!**


	70. Chapter 70

**A/N**

**Sorry for the wait guys, been a crazy week. **

"You're doing really well, Morgana," Merlin congratulated as Morgana successfully caused the smoke to transform into a horse. "Really, really well," Merlin corrected.

"You think so?" Morgana asked hopefully.

"I know it," Merlin confirmed, grinning.

Morgana smiled in return. "Let me show you something I've been working on," she said. Morgana muttered a spell; her eyes flashed gold, and the torches burst into flames, rising in the air.

"Careful…" Merlin warned.

Morgana nodded, then jumped in horror when someone flung the door open. The flames hit the floor, setting the room on fire. Morgana screamed in terror, and the maid grabbed a bucket of water and quickly dowsed the flames.

"A sorcerer is attacking Camelot!" she shrieked

"No!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Didn't you see the flames? They rose on their own accord!" the maid screamed, terrified.

"I didn't see that…" Merlin protested weakly.

"Are you blind?" The maid shrieked. "We must inform the king!"

* * *

><p>Merlin felt sick as the maid frantically told the story to the king.<p>

Uther's face turned stony as he growled, "So… a sorcerer attacked my wards?"

"Yes!" the terrified maid exclaimed.

"What did you two see?" Uther asked calmly.

"I wasn't looking," Merlin lied, refusing to look Uther in the eye. "I heard Morgana scream so I turned, and saw the room was on fire."

"I just turned in time to see the fire hitting the ground…" Morgana whispered.

Uther's eyes flashed angrily as he growled, "There is a sorcerer in Camelot. We must call the witch finder."

Merlin felt decidedly queasy. Aredian was a 'trusted ally' of Camelot. He was ruthless and cruel and he terrified Merlin.

"Are you sure Sire? Isn't this a bit extreme…?" Gaius calmly asked.

"The witch finder is a trusted ally of Camelot!" Uther roared. "His help is invaluable."

Gaius bowed and left, Uther signaling them to leave as well.

This was bad. Really bad.

* * *

><p>Merlin angrily paced his chambers, worry gnawing at his stomach. What if the witch finder discovered his magic? What if Uther decided to execute him? What would happen to Arthur? All those worried thoughts swirled in Merlin's mind, making him more and more terrified. He jumped when the door banged open; and sagged against the wall, sighing in relief when it was only Arthur.<p>

"Who did you think it was? The executioner?" Arthur asked teasingly.

"Yes," Merlin whispered, heart still pounding. Arthur froze, and mumbled a quick apology. "What did he say?"

"He said Uther had grown soft," Arthur replied stiffly.

"Soft?" Merlin asked incredulously.

"He had Uther eating out of the palm of his hand," Arthur added, disgusted.

"Why is Uther so easily fooled," Merlin groaned.

"You tell me and we'll both know," Arthur grumbled.

"When will he start searching?" Merlin asked, his heart rate rising again.

"He says he's already started."

* * *

><p>Merlin fought to control his rapid breathing as Aredian interrogated the girls standing before Uther. Aredian had found three eye witnesses to acts of sorcery and was presenting them to the king, one by one. Merlin looked over at Morgana who frantically shook her head, terrified. Earlier that day, Aredian and questioned Merlin ruthlessly, even accusing him of being the one to cast the spell. They didn't have to worry, though; Uther knew they'd never betray Camelot… didn't he? The last girl was finishing as Merlin reached this conclusion.<p>

"…. toads were leaping from his mouth, Sire. It was terrifying…" The poor girl burst into tears.

"I don't believe it…" Uther gasped.

"Magic has penetrated this once proud city!" Aredian declared. "The fire was just the beginning, now this! But, I have been able to use all of my resources to find the one responsible!"

Merlin's heart clenched painfully in his chest and Morgana froze, looking terrified.

"You've found the one responsible?" Uther asked, joy on his face.

"The evidence all points to one person," Aredian confirmed. Merlin forced himself to calm down. Aredian wouldn't dare accuse anyone in the royal family, right? "This person is standing in this very room with us, within the very heart of this once proud Kingdom." He'd never accuse Arthur… "Your ward, Merlin!"

Merlin sat in his chair, frozen.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked incredulously. "No, you must be mistaken. I've known him practically my entire life. He'd never do anything like that."

Merlin flashed Arthur a grateful smile as Aredian continued, "I'm sure a sweep of Merlin's chambers will answer our question."

"Merlin?" Uther asked coldly.

Merlin sat up straighter, determined to prove Uther, and Aredian, wrong. "I have nothing to hide!" he declared.

"Guards, restrain him!" Uther shouted. A pair of guards roughly grabbed Merlin and hauled him to his feet and led him out of the hall. His last glimpse of Arthur and Morgana was their terrified faces, before the guards dragged him away.

* * *

><p>This is madness, Arthur thought as the guards tore Merlin's chambers apart. Shouldn't Uther know Merlin wouldn't do anything to harm Camelot…? Arthur winced as Merlin's dragon, the last thing he had of his father's, crashed to the ground and shattered into a million pieces. Arthur looked over at Uther, who didn't even give the shattered dragon a second glance. Does he even care about Merlin…<p>

"This is ridiculous!" Arthur exclaimed. "There's nothing here!"

"I'll be the judge of that," Aredian replied coolly. It was almost as if he knew there was something here. But how could he…? "Look in the bookshelf for any hidden compartments or hollow books!" Aredian ordered, snapping Arthur out of his thoughts.

He's not going to find anything… Arthur thought, then froze. Merlin's book of magic. Where was it? He quickly scanned the room, but didn't immediately see the book. Merlin must have hidden it when he heard the witch finder was coming. At least, Arthur desperately hoped he had.

"I found something!" one of the guards exclaimed. He walked over to Aredian and handed him a strange bracelet.

"An enchanted bracelet…" Aredian muttered. "A sorcerer, hidden in the very heart of Camelot."

"I don't believe it…" Uther muttered, mortified.

"Surely we should give Merlin the benefit of the doubt!" Arthur exclaimed, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

"Why should we?" Aredian asked. "He's obviously a dark sorcerer. Look at his father! He was a sorcerer too."

"That doesn't prove anything!" Arthur exclaimed. "Balinor was a good man!"

"So you think," Aredian corrected.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"Merlin's poor mother was slaughtered by a sorcerer. How do we really know it wasn't Balinor who killed her?" Arthur opened and closed his mouth several times, too shell shocked to answer. How dare he imply that Balinor killed Hunith! It was disgusting!

"I knew Balinor. He was kind to Merlin and me, and especially Hunith. And if Merlin is even half the man Balinor was, I know for a fact Merlin would never harm Camelot. Right father?"

Uther was silent for so long Arthur feared he would agree with Aredian. Finally Uther said, "Aredian, I know your methods are infallible, but I know Merlin would never betray Camelot, and Balinor would never touch dark magic, if Merlin really has magic I don't believe he'd use it either."

"I have seen this particular artifact many times, it is an instrument of dark magic, used to cause mass destruction, it helps give sorcerers cast very powerful dark spells. Tell me Uther, why would an innocent man have something like this hidden in their room?" Aredian asked. The look Uther had on his face was all the answer Aredian needed.

Fear quickly settled in Arthur's chest. Merlin was in serious trouble.


	71. Chapter 71

Evan stood in the middle of Merlin's chambers, staring at the destruction Aredian had left in his wake. Everything was ruined, torn to pieces, shattered. No one paid the room a second glance. It was like Merlin had already been executed. Trembling, Evan bent over and started cleaning up the ruined chambers. His whole body shook as he slowly cleaned the chambers, feeling sick when he saw the smashed dragon statue. _Merlin won't be happy__ when he finds out… if he finds out,_ a darker part of his mind added. _No, he's innocent, Aredian will see that_.

Evan couldn't think about what could be happening to Merlin; or else he'd completely fall apart. Merlin was his friend; he didn't know what he'd do if Uther had Merlin executed. How could Uther not see that Merlin wasn't a sorcerer? Even _he_ could see it. Merlin was a good man, kind and caring. Why would he take part in something dangerous and illegal? Feeling heartsick, Evan gingerly scooped up the broken dragon and placed the pieces on the table, praying that Uther would see reason.

* * *

><p>Arthur wandered the castle aimlessly, not sure where he was going, his feet just taking him wherever. He could barely believe what his father was doing; couldn't believe he was breaking his promise <em>again<em>. Uther kept swearing he'd listen to Merlin, yet he kept blowing him off and now might execute him! Arthur stood outside Merlin's chambers, staring at the door blankly. How had things come to this? Why was Uther betraying his family? Why Merlin?

"It's not fair," a voice whispered softly.

Arthur turned and saw Morgana standing there; her usual smirk gone, looking completely vulnerable. He knew immediately what she was talking about.

"I just don't understand how all of this happened," Arthur agreed.

Morgana flinched slightly, and Arthur couldn't help but wonder if she was somehow involved in all of this. Arthur shook the thought away and gently pushed the door open, thinking no one was inside, and jumped when he saw Evan inside dutifully cleaning Merlin's chambers.

"Evan?" Morgana asked.

Evan whipped around. "I was just cleaning so that when Merlin got back his chambers would be presentable…" he explained. He looked like he was about to fall to pieces right in front of them. "He will be back, I know it."

Arthur stared at Evan in amazement; he really believed that everything would work out just fine. He certainly had more confidence than Arthur did right then.

"Merlin will be okay," Morgana agreed. "Uther knows Merlin would never harm Camelot. He will see reason."

* * *

><p>As the days passed, however, Arthur started to doubt Morgana's statement. Day after day Arthur saw the guards drag Merlin out of his cell and then drag him back late that night; Merlin looking weaker with each day. Arthur couldn't take it anymore when he saw Merlin being practically carried back to his cell. Enraged, Arthur ran to Gaius's chambers, hoping the old Physician would know what to do.<p>

"We have to do something!" Arthur exclaimed as he flung the door open. "Merlin will die if we don't!"

Gaius sighed sadly and set down whatever he'd been working on. "I wish I knew what to do," he admitted.

"Maybe Uther will listen to you!" Arthur exclaimed.

"What makes you think that?" Gaius asked.

"Uther is listening to Aredian because Aredian's convinced him that this bracelet Merlin had was a dark artefact…"

"What bracelet?" Gaius asked.

"It was found in Merlin's chambers," Arthur explained.

Gaius frowned. "Can you talk to Merlin; ask him where he got this bracelet?"

"Do you think it's important?" Arthur asked.

"I'm not sure," Gaius admitted.

Arthur nodded his head and hurried down to the dungeons, hoping Merlin had some answers. He confidently walked between the cells, none of the guards daring to stop him; he was the Prince, and they couldn't stop the Prince. Arthur made his way to Merlin's cell and froze when he saw him. He was underfed; wearing thin, worn out clothes; and looked horribly ill.

"Merlin," Arthur gasped.

Merlin slowly sat up and croaked, "Arthur? What are you doing down here?"

"Gaius wanted me to ask you some questions," Arthur whispered.

Merlin nodded so Arthur began, "Where did you get the bracelet?"

"What bracelet?" Merlin asked.

"Aredian found an enchanted bracelet in your chambers," Arthur explained.

"I don't have anything like that…" Merlin muttered.

"So someone put it there," Arthur gasped. "You don't think Aredian-"

"Why would he?" Merlin whispered.

"He gets paid for every sorcerer he catches," Arthur explained.

"How can we prove it, though?" Merlin asked.

"I'll figure something out." Arthur assured.

"Please hurry" Merlin begged. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Arthur nodded and ran off; knowing Merlin didn't have much time.

* * *

><p>Merlin had curled up on the pathetic mattress, trying to get warm, when suddenly he felt water being poured all over him. He sat up and saw Aredian leering down at him.<p>

"You'll be happy to know that you won't be alone in the flames," Aredian informed him.

"What?" Merlin asked, feeling nauseous.

"Gaius and Morgana will be joining you on the pyre," Aredian replied.

"No…" Merlin whispered.

"Oh yes," Aredian assured. "You've corrupted them, so they must answer to their King. Unless…"

"Unless what?" Merlin asked, part of him already knowing the answer.

Arthur hurried to the throne room, worry gnawing at his stomach. According to the messenger, Aredian had some sort of announcement. Arthur sat down next to Uther, looking over at a very worried Morgana. Not long after they arrived, Aredian and a pair of guards appeared, dragging Merlin.

"Confess!" Aredian snarled, shoving Merlin onto his knees.

Looking close to tears, Merlin locked eyes with Morgana before beginning slowly, "I-I am the sorcerer," Arthur's eyes widened in horror as Merlin continued. "I accidentally caused the fire, I caused the faces in the well…"

Uther stood and stared down at Merlin in disgust. "You've betrayed me; Merlin… betrayed your family and Camelot! But… most importantly you've betrayed yourself."

Merlin looked down in shame and Arthur looked over at Morgana, who herself looked like she wanted to break down. "In accordance to the laws of Camelot… I sentence you to death." Aredian shoved Merlin onto the ground and a pair of guards dragged him away.

"Let this be a lesson to all!" Aredian declared. "The sorcerer's magic shall be purged by fire at dawn!"

Arthur looked over at Uther, who looked heart-broken by what he'd done. Rage filled up inside Arthur. How could Uther do this to Merlin? _He_ was the traitor, not Merlin!

"You're lying!" Evan shouted, pointing at Aredian, "Merlin would _never_ do such a thing!"

Guards grabbed Evan by either arm and started to drag him away, but Arthur stopped them.

"Let me handle this."

Surprisingly, Uther didn't stop Arthur as he dragged Evan away. Arthur glanced back at Morgana one last time as he rounded the corner, a look of defeat written all across her face.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** Hey, so unfortunately the next chapter may take a bit longer than usual because finals are coming up, and finals and free time don't exactly mix. But hopefully I'll be able to get it up quickly. Let me know what you guys thought!**


	72. Chapter 72

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay, my beta and I have been super busy lately.**

* * *

><p>Morgana watched Arthur as he dragged Evan out of the room, praying he wouldn't throw him in jail. As angry as Arthur looked, she doubted he would. She was pretty sure she knew who his anger was directed towards. Morgana calmly stood and left the throne room, feeling nauseous. How could she have been so foolish as to believe Uther actually cared about them? No matter how many chances she gave him, he always turned his back on them when they needed him the most. It was absolutely disgusting.<p>

Wasn't she as much to blame as Uther, though? The thought made Morgana freeze in front of her chambers. She was the one who lost control and started the fire, _she_ was the one who was being stupid and now Merlin was going to pay for that mistake. Morgana slipped inside her chambers and sank down onto her bed, devastated. This was all her fault; she was to blame for everything. She let her head fall into her hands, her whole body trembling. Merlin was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it.

"My lady?" Gwen asked, worry evident in her voice.

Morgana looked up with tear filled eyes. "Merlin is going to _die_," she whispered.

Gwen sat down next to Morgana and wrapped her arms around her friend. The room was horribly silent as the maid held her mistress. Morgana knew Uther would be furious at her for being so open with a maid, but she didn't care. Uther could go to hell for all she cared. He meant _nothing_ to her.

There was a knocking at the door and Gwen reluctantly stood to open it, only to find herself face to face with a pair of guards and Aredian himself.

"I'm very sorry to disturb you, but is the Lady Morgana here?"

"I'm sorry; my Lady isn't feeling well…" Gwen began, but Aredian pushed past her.

"It will only take a few minutes," he said. "I'm sorry, my Lady, but I have a few more questions for you."

Morgana nodded her head and stood. She flashed a weak smile at Gwen, but she knew it wasn't the least bit convincing. Terrified, Gwen half ran to Arthur's chambers, pounding on the door.

"Gwen…" Arthur began as he opened the door.

"Aredian's taken Morgana for questioning!" Gwen exclaimed, looking frantic.

"Why?" Arthur asked. "He's already got his confession." Arthur's fists clenched and he took a deep breath to calm himself.

"We have to do something!" Gwen exclaimed.

"What can we do?" Arthur exploded. "Aredian has my father eating out of the palm of his hand; he's convinced Merlin is evil and Morgana might be next!"

"We can't give up on them," Gwen whispered.

"This isn't some fairy tale, there isn't always a happy ending," Arthur whispered.

"We can save them!" Gwen insisted. "I know it."

Arthur looked over at her, a look of misery written across his face.

"I've fought in many battles, Gwen… this is a battle we cannot win."

"So you've given up?" Gwen demanded.

"What else can I do?" Arthur demanded.

"You're the Prince, Arthur!" Gwen countered.

"I may be the Prince," Arthur informed her, "but I can't defy the King."

"So you're letting Merlin die," Gwen whispered, glaring at him.

"Do you think I want to see my best friend dead?" Arthur demanded.

"If we did something…" Gwen began, but Arthur wasn't listening, he couldn't. He didn't want to get his hopes up; didn't want to believe that they could save Merlin, only to have his hopes crushed.

"Clinging onto false hope will only make it harder to accept," Arthur whispered, hating how his voice cracked as he spoke. Unable to help himself, he turned towards the window to look at the pyre which was being built. The site sent shivers up Arthur's spine, his mind's eye seeing Merlin trapped in the flames, screaming in pain. Gwen's anger turned to pity as she watched Arthur's expression.

"You may have lost hope," Gwen informed him, "but I will never give up." She then left as swiftly as she'd come, leaving Arthur with his dark thoughts.

* * *

><p>Arthur couldn't look at Merlin as a pair of guards dragged him to the pyre. He couldn't face Merlin looking at him, the look of utter betrayal and hate he directed at his former friend. He knew he deserved it, and he knew Merlin deserved better, so Arthur forced himself to look him in the eye. Their eyes met, and instead of hate, he found forgiveness and defeat. They both knew it was over, Arthur could see it in Merlin's eyes; he knew Arthur had tried; he knew there was nothing that could be done. That one look said it all.<p>

Arthur looked away as Merlin was tied down and the torch was lit. He loved Merlin like a brother, but he didn't want his last memory to be Merlin burning, he wanted to be hiding in his chambers, pretending this wasn't happening, like Uther apparently was. A renewed hate for Uther bubbled inside of him as he thought of how wrong this was. Uther didn't want to execute Merlin, so he was having his son do it instead.

"Arthur! Arthur stop the execution!" Gwen shouted, running straight towards Arthur. "Arthur, Evan found something that can save Merlin!"

"My father won't even listen to me!" Arthur hissed. "What makes you think he'd listen to a servant?"

"Please Arthur; don't let another innocent man die!" Gwen begged.

"There is nothing I can do," Arthur replied stiffly.

"You can do the right thing, Arthur," Gwen snapped. "Now you can stand by and let another innocent man die, just like my father, or you can stop this!"

Aredian lowered the burning torch to the pyre.

"Wait!" Arthur yelled. Aredian stared at him in disbelief. "Stop the execution."

Arthur watched Uther as Evan gave his evidence and the woman and man made their testimonies. Uther seemed unimpressed as Evan handed Uther the vial of liquid that apparently caused hallucinations. Did Uther really have that little faith in Merlin?

"What do you have to say?" Uther asked.

"This boy is obviously lying to save his master," Aredian sneered.

"Then why don't we search your chambers," Evan replied coolly.

"You have no right to speak!" Uther snarled, glaring at Evan.

"There's one way to solve this once and for all," Arthur declared, standing beside the servant. He needed to show some faith; he shouldn't have given up on Merlin, now was his time to make up for that.

Uther turned to Aredian, who replied, "I have nothing to hide."

Guards tore Aredians' chambers apart, much like they had Merlin's, under Uther's watchful gaze.

"Look in that cupboard," Arthur ordered. A guard ran over to the cupboard and opened it, only to have hundreds of bracelets identical to the one in Merlin's chamber pour out of it.

"Those aren't mine!" Aredian cried, horrified. Arthur then noticed bottles remarkably similar to the one Evan had shown Uther. Uther looked up at Aredian in disbelief as Aredian continued, "that boy is trying to set me up!" He then started coughing violently, until a toad fell out of his mouth.

"Sorcerer!" Uther snarled, unsheathing his sword, followed by Arthur and the guards.

Aredian grabbed Morgana and pressed a dagger against her throat.

"Think about this, Aredian," Uther warned. "You will never make it out of Camelot alive."

"I will if you care about your precious ward," Aredian snarled.

Morgana looked down at the dagger, her eyes flashing gold. Arthur would have thought he'd imagined if it he didn't know better. Aredian shouted in pain and dropped the dagger, allowing Morgana to escape. Aredian stumbled back, tripped over his case and toppled out of the window. Arthur looked away just as he heard the sickening crunch of Aredian's body hitting the ground.

* * *

><p>Merlin grinned as Evan fussed over Merlin, making sure he was comfortable and that his chambers where acceptable.<p>

"Evan?" Merlin asked, causing the servant to stop in his tracks.

"Yes?" Evan asked slowly.

"I hear it was you who found the evidence that saved me," Merlin began.

"Gwen helped a lot…" Evan argued.

"You stood up to the king!" Merlin exclaimed. "I just… thank you. You're a true friend." Evan looked away, embarrassed; but Merlin caught the look of joy on Evan's face when Merlin said that, and the frown that quickly crossed his features.

"What?" Merlin asked, looking around the room.

"I… I could have sword the guards broke that…" Evan whispered, staring straight at the small dragon statue. Merlin was almost positive the dragon had been broken, and he was sure he knew who fixed it. But he couldn't let Evan know that.

Quickly Merlin assured him, "I didn't see anything broken."

Evan stared at it until the silence was broken by a knocking at the door. Evan opened the door and bowed deeply, letting the King in. Merlin straightened at the sight of Uther. Evan quickly muttered something about fetching dinner before vanishing, the door closing loudly behind him. Uther shifted uncomfortably before beginning to speak.

"If anything was destroyed by Aredian during the search I will more than gladly replace it…"

"Thank you," Merlin stiffly replied, wishing Uther would leave him.

"I'm so sorry you suffered at Aredian's hand…" Uther began, but Merlin couldn't take it anymore.

"I didn't suffer at Aredian's hands; I suffered at yours. Aredian was only following _your_ orders. _You_ let him do this."

"Merlin, I assure you we're taking measures to insure this will never…" Uther began.

"How many more empty promises will you make?" Merlin demanded.

"What…?"

"You swore you'd listen to me and yet you let Aredian convince you I was evil!" Merlin exclaimed. "You turned your back on me. I got lucky, unlike so many others who face your wrath." Merlin knew Uther could severely punish him for what he was saying, but he also knew he wouldn't. "If you don't fix this, you will cut down all of your allies and surround yourself with your enemies." Someone knocked on the door and Merlin called, "Enter."

Evan silently slipped inside the room and set the platter on the table. "Your dinner, my Lord."

"Thank you, Evan," Merlin said, a genuine smile on his face. Turning to Uther, Merlin continued, "if you'll excuse me, Sire…"

"Of course, get some… rest…" Uther told Merlin before slipping out.

Merlin sank down into the chair, sighing. Would things ever be well between he and Uther?


	73. Chapter 73

**A/N**

**SOOO sorry about the delay! Things just got crazy for me. Hope you guys are still out their and enjoy!**

Merlin stood next to Arthur stiffly as Uther knighted the men kneeling before him. Things had quieted down quite a bit after the Witch Finder fiasco and had returned to as normal as it could get in Camelot. Merlin suppressed a yawn as Uther went into one of his speeches about the job of the knights of Camelot and how Arthur was a perfect model of a knight and all. Uther _really_ wanted to get back onto Arthur's good side, it seemed.

Merlin jumped when he heard a commotion outside the doors, everyone turned to the doors when they burst open and a knight strode in. All the knights in the room ripped out their swords and Arthur pushed his way to the front to face the knight. The knight then ripped off his gauntlet and threw it at Arthur's feet.

Silently, Arthur picked the gauntlet. "I accept your challenge. May I ask who I'm fighting?"

The knight pulled off his helmet to reveal a woman. "My name is Morgause," she said, and then turned and strode out of the hall.

* * *

><p>"So what are you going to do?" Merlin asked.<p>

Arthur sighed and looked over at Merlin. "I have to fight her…"

"Do you want to?" Merlin asked.

"No, but I can't just back out. How can I expect my men to follow the knight's code but then not follow it myself? But… if I kill her what am I?" Arthur asked.

"Whatever happens tomorrow, you are not to blame," Merlin assured him. "She challenged you. But you do need to be careful."

"Why?" Arthur asked.

"If you hesitate because she is a woman she could use that to her advantage," Merlin explained.

"You don't think I can beat her?" Arthur demanded.

"You've never fought a woman before," Merlin explained. "You can't hesitate…"

"Merlin I think I know a bit more about battles then you do," Arthur snapped.

"I'm just trying to help," Merlin snapped back, glaring at Arthur.

Arthur groaned in frustration before turning away from Merlin to try and calm himself down. "Merlin, I get that you're just trying to help but I need to do this on my own."

"Just don't put yourself in a position where your life is in her hands."

"Who says her life won't rest in mine?" Arthur asked with a confident smile.

"Who says you aren't big headed?" Merlin shot back, grinning in return.

Arthur gave Merlin a weak smile before telling him, "I have to get ready for tomorrow."

"Don't let Uther lock you up again," Merlin teased.

"Don't worry, I won't," Arthur assured.

* * *

><p>Merlin anxiously tapped his fingers as he waited for the battle to start. He tuned Uther out as the King gave the customary speech before a fight; his attention solely on Arthur, who looked extremely nervous. Merlin watched anxiously as the two prepared to fight, realizing instantly that Morgause was an excellent swordswoman. Arthur quickly knocked the sword out of her hand, but motioned for her to pick it up, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers for their future king. Merlin even noticed a small smile form on Uther's face. If Arthur could knock the sword out of her hand that quickly, surely he could easily win this fight. Merlin kept telling himself that as the battle continued, Morgause fighting much more aggressively then she had before.<p>

Merlin gasped in horror when Morgause knocked Arthur sword out of his hands before sending him toppling to the ground, the tip of her sword pressed against his throat. _No… please don't kill him!_ Merlin silently begged. The arena was silent as Morgause whispered something to Arthur, who hesitated before whispering a reply. Morgause then smiled before removing her sword and letting Arthur get to his feet. Morgause left the field without another word.

* * *

><p>Later. After Uther had left, Merlin slipped inside Arthurs chambers. "What happened?" he asked. "What did Morgause say to you?"<p>

"She spared my life because I promised to meet her in three days and accept whatever challenge she gave me."

"Are you mad?" Merlin exclaimed. "She'll probably just kill you!"

"My father said the same thing," Arthur commented dryly.

"Well he's right! I have a really bad feeling about this."

"I gave my word, Merlin," Arthur sighed. "She was going to kill me… I had no choice."

"So what are you going to do?" Merlin asked.

"I'm going to defy my father and go see her like I promised," Arthur calmly replied. "Will you help me?"

Merlin studied Arthur for several tense minutes. He knew Arthur would go, whether or not he agreed to help. Despite the fact that his gut was screaming at him not to do it. He sighed. "Alright, I'll help."

* * *

><p>Merlin sat in his chambers, thinking hard; somehow, he had to figure out a way to break Arthur out of his chambers while he himself wasn't seen. It would have been so much easier if he was just another servant… Then it hit him: what if Evan busted Arthur out? No one would question him going into Arthur's chambers, it was fool proof! But, there was a part of Merlin that stubbornly refused to drag Evan into his own problems; he did not deserve to get tangled up in it. He'd just have to think of a better solution.<p>

"I can't believe she beat Arthur," Evan commented, startling Merlin.

"Yeah…" Merlin agreed hesitantly.

Evan set Merlin's dinner down and continued, "I wonder what Morgause was saying to Arthur…"

"That's between Arthur and Morgause, I suppose," Merlin quickly, said hoping to change the subject.

Evan wasn't buying it. "You know something!" he exclaimed.

"Why would I know anything?" Merlin asked, trying to feign innocence, but it didn't work.

"What are you and Arthur up to?" Evan asked. "I want to help." Merlin wanted to lie, to tell him he wasn't doing anything, but he hated lying to Evan. He could help Merlin so much…

Merlin sighed. "Alright…" he admitted, "Morgause spared Arthur because he promised he'd meet her in three days, but Uther has forbidden him from going. We need to find a way to get Arthur out of the castle without being seen."

"He would defy the King?" Evan asked, eyes wide.

"It's a pride thing," Merlin explained. "he said he'd go, so he's going to keep that promise even if it kills him."

"Do you think it will?' Evan asked.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Merlin muttered.

"And you're still going to help him?" Evan asked.

"He's going to do this whether or not I help him," Merlin explained. "I know Arthur; nothing will stop him from doing this. I just hope that maybe… maybe I can help him."

Evan eyed Merlin doubtfully but said, "I'll see what I can do."


	74. Chapter 74

The night Merlin and Arthur planned to leave, Merlin started to worry. What if Evan couldn't come up with a good plan to sneak Arthur out? What if they got caught? Merlin's worst fear, though, was his fear Arthur would die anyway. What would he do if that happened? Would Morgause even let either of them live? Could Merlin live with himself if this went wrong? Merlin tried to shake off his fears as Evan slipped inside his chambers looking pleased with himself.

"Arthur's waiting for you in the stables. You should hurry down there before he gets caught."

Merlin stood and said, "Thank you Evan,"

"You're welcome," Evan replied, smiling sadly. "Just… don't let Arthur die, or get yourself killed… please?"

"I don't plan on it," Merlin promised before slipping out the door. He had to be extremely careful as he made his way through the castle. If anyone saw him they would question what he was doing, and he wanted to avoid that at all cost. Fate seemed to be on Merlin's side, because he passed no one on the way down to the stables. The horses were already saddled, so Merlin and Arthur were able to get out of Camelot quickly.

"So where are we going?" Merlin asked once they were a safe distance from Camelot.

"I have no idea," Arthur replied, causing Merlin to stop his horse abruptly.

"_What?_" Merlin exclaimed.

"I don't know..."

"How could you not know where she is?" Merlin snapped.

"She didn't tell me…" Arthur explained.

"What, did you expect to just happen upon her?" Merlin demanded.

"She said I'd know where to find her," Arthur continued weakly.

"This is insane; we're riding aimlessly through the woods with no idea where we're even going!" Merlin shouted.

Arthur sighed in annoyance and tugged angrily on the reigns, but his horse refused to go. "Come on!" he snapped, tugging harder, but the horse still wouldn't budge. Then, suddenly, the horse started down the other path.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked.

"It's not me, it's the horse!" Arthur exclaimed.

"Great. We're following a horse to see a strange woman to accept a mysterious challenge," Merlin groaned.

They rode in silence, until eventually Merlin broke the silence. "What do you think Morgause will have you do?"

"I don't know," Arthur admitted. "I don't think it will be easy, though. It _is_ a challenge."

"What if she has you do something horrible?" Merlin asked.

"Merlin," Arthur warned.

"I just think it's strange for you to say you'd accept a challenge when you don't even…" An arrow flew right in front of Merlin, embedding itself deeply in the tree in front of him. Startled, his horse reared up, throwing him from the saddle. Merlin lay on the ground, stunned, as Arthur threw himself off of his horse and charged at the man who was racing down the hill. Suddenly, there was a man standing above Merlin swinging his sword in a downwards arc. The man screamed in pain and toppled over, Arthur's sword sticking out of his back.

Merlin scrambled to his feet as Arthur faced the other man down. Merlin saw a third man perched in a nearby tree, aiming a spear at Arthur. Glaring, Merlin quickly whispered a spell, causing the man's spear to catch on fire just as Arthur killed his opponent. The man's scream caught Arthur's attention and he saw the third man crash to the ground.

"I'm so glad you're on my side," Arthur commented.

Merlin grinned, but his smile quickly faded. "Maybe we should turn back. The forest is probably swarming with-"

"You can go back if you want, I won't stop you," Arthur whispered, cutting Merlin off.

"Why are you doing this?" Merlin demanded, frustrated.

"I swore I would go-" Arthur began.

"There's something else," Merlin said, stopping Arthur in his tracks. "I can tell. What is it?"

"She said she knew my mother," Arthur whispered.

Realisation dawned on Merlin. "You want to find out about your mother."

"Is that so bad?" Arthur asked accusingly.

"I'd give anything to see my parents again," Merlin calmly informed Arthur.

Arthur winced slightly. "I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"It's just… I don't remember anything about them… I can't even remember their faces…" Merlin said softly. "At least you have Uther… even though he's made some mistakes he's still your father, and you at least have _someone_…"

"If it's any consolation," Arthur began, "I don't really remember my mother either… I can see her face, and I remember her being kind… but that's it."

"I would give anything for even that." Merlin said sadly. "Everyone tells me my parents were kind, caring, great people… but how do I know that they're telling the truth?"

"Do you trust the people saying it?" Arthur asked.

"That's the problem," Merlin replied. "I don't."

* * *

><p>For several hours they traveled in silence, neither knowing what to say to the other, until their trail led to a lake.<p>

"Looks like your horse led us to a dead end," Merlin commented dryly.

"_Now_ where's he going?" Arthur demanded when his horse started towards the lake.

"I think you're going to get wet!" Merlin exclaimed, laughing slightly.

"You don't say?" Arthur snapped.

Merlin frowned when Arthur's horse continued under a waterfall. He sighed, urging his horse forward. He was surprised at how shallow the lake was. As his horse walked through the waterfall behind Arthur and found himself in a tunnel. He gasped when they emerged to find a castle standing before them.

"Where do you think we are?" Merlin asked.

"No idea," Arthur replied.

They dismounted and entered the castle to find themselves standing in a large courtyard with an executioner's block and axe in the center.

Arthur walked towards the block. "Now what?"

"Why don't you ask the horse?" Merlin asked, disapproval dripping from his voice.

Arthur turned to glare at Merlin, when a voice broke the silence.

"You kept your promise." Morgause walked down the stone steps wearing an elegant gown.

"What is the nature of the challenge you wish to set me?" Arthur asked.

"Place your head on the block," Morgause replied, calmly lifting the axe.

"No!" Merlin shouted before he could stop himself.

"You gave me your word you would do anything I asked," Morgause calmly informed Arthur.

"Arthur, don't," Merlin begged, dreading how this would end. Why did Morgause bring him here to kill him like this? She could have just killed him in Camelot and no one could have done a thing. Why this?

Taking a deep breath, Arthur kneeled down and placed his head on the block.

"Arthur, what are you doing?" Merlin cried.

"Merlin, stay out of this!" Arthur snapped.

Morgause looked smug as she raised the axe. Merlin frantically thought of a spell that could save Arthur, knowing Morgause would quickly retaliate when he did. Morgause placed the blade against Arthur's neck before raising it preparing to swing, before suddenly setting the axe down next to Arthur.

"You have shown you are a man of your word, so as a reward I will grant you one wish. Tell me what it is your heart most desires."

"You said you knew my mother. Tell me everything you know about her," Arthur replied.

"Perhaps you would like to see her yourself?" Morgause asked, making Merlin suspicious. Why did she want to test Arthur? What was she up to?

"I want that more than anything," Arthur admitted.

"As you wish."


	75. Chapter 75

**A/N**

**SOOOO sorry for the delay guys! You deserve better but my life has been kind of crazy lately…**

Arthur and Merlin watched in silence as Morgause lit several candles on top of a strange alter.

Merlin, feeling uneasy, leaned over and whispered, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"If you were given the same chance, wouldn't you want to see your parents?" Arthur asked in a hushed tone.

"It is ready," Morgause informed them, grabbing Arthur's arm and pulling him in front of the alter. "Now, close your eyes."

Reluctantly, Arthur complied and Merlin watched Morgause carefully. Morgause started the spell, and Merlin saw everything slow down. Suddenly, standing before them was Ygraine.

"Arthur," she whispered, causing Arthur's eyes to snap open.

"Mother?" Arthur asked, disbelief laced through his words.

Ygraine ran to Arthur and flung her arms around him. "Oh, how you've grown, Arthur. The last time I saw you, you were just a child and now you've grown into a handsome young man."

"It's so good to see you again, mother…" Arthur whispered.

Ygraine placed a soft hand on Arthur's cheek. "I shall never forgive your father from depriving me of seeing you grow up into such an amazing man," she whispered bitterly.

Merlin looked up at her suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked breathlessly.

"It does not matter…" Ygraine began, but Arthur stopped her,

"Please, don't leave me with more questions than answers."

Ygraine sighed. "Uther was desperate for an heir… without one the Pendragon line could not continue, but I could not conceive."

"Then how was I born?" Arthur asked, clearly confused.

"Uther asked the witch Nimueh to help me conceive… you were born of magic, but for a life to be created by magic, a life must be taken. Uther knew this. He betrayed me, he sacrificed my life so the Pendragon dynasty could continue… but now that I see the man you've become I would gladly give my life for you."

Arthur stared at her in shock and stammered, "I… no he would never…"

Merlin was more confused than ever, why did Uther fear magic so much if it brought him Arthur? How could he be such a hypocrite? But how did Ygraine live so long after Arthur was born? Shouldn't Ygraine have died very quickly? Everything about this felt so wrong to Merlin, but it seemed Arthur was drinking in every word Ygraine said.

"This doesn't change the fact that you are my son, or that I love you with all my heart. Don't let this change you," Ygraine told Arthur, before vanishing.

Everything sped up again.

"No! Please bring her back!" Arthur shouted.

"Once the doorway is closed, it is closed for good," Morgause explained, looking genuinely sorry. "I am sorry you learned of your mother's fate this way and that your father was responsible for her death. It is an unforgivable betrayal."

She left the pair of them alone among their thoughts.

"Arthur? Are you alright?" Merlin asked after a minute of silence.

"We're going back to Camelot," Arthur coldly informed him.

The ride back to Camelot was made in complete silence, Arthur ignoring Merlin even when he kept trying in vain to get him to talk. Once they reached Camelot, Arthur dismounted and entered the castle, unsheathing his sword as he did so.

Gaius hurried over to Merlin. "Thank goodness you two are alright. What happened?"

Merlin walked towards the castle. "I thought you said there would be no more secrets," Merlin whispered accusingly.

"What are you-?" Gaius began but Merlin cut him off,

"Arthur was born of magic, wasn't he?"

Gaius sighed and hung his head so Merlin pressed on. "How could you keep that from me? From him? How many secrets have you kept from us? How many more lies will you tell?"

"Merlin, I didn't tell you because I feared what Arthur would do when he found out," Gaius explained, having the decency to at least look guilty.

"Arthur knows now," Merlin informed him before heading to the throne room, cold terror gripping his heart. Arthur was angry, very angry; Merlin feared what Arthur was planning on doing to Uther when he found him.

Merlin hurried to the doors, only for Leon to grab him and push him away.

"I need to get in their!" Merlin shouted angrily.

"The King said to not let anyone enter," Leon replied.

"They're going to kill each other!" Merlin shouted.

Leon froze. Merlin feared the knight still wouldn't let him in, but he quickly pushed the doors open, just as Arthur pressed his blade against Uther's chest.

"Arthur, don't!" Merlin shouted.

Arthur didn't take his eyes off of Uther as he replied, "He's killed hundreds of innocent people to ease his own guilt!"

"Morgause was lying!" Merlin shouted.

"How do you know?" Arthur demanded.

"There is no way to bring back the dead," Merlin reasoned. "Besides, what your mother said didn't make any sense!"

Arthur hesitated.

"Listen to him, Arthur," Uther begged, causing Arthur to press his sword down harder.

Merlin quickly realized he wasn't getting through to Arthur, so he tried a different tactic,

"Arthur, if you kill him, you will _never_ forgive yourself. No matter what he did, your mother wouldn't want you to kill him."

"Swear that you had nothing to do with my mother's death!" Arthur snapped, glaring at Uther.

"I loved her with all my heart, not a day goes by that I don't miss her," Uther whispered, making Merlin wonder why Uther didn't directly say he wasn't involved. Uther's answer seemed good enough for Arthur, though, because he lowered his sword and left without another word.

"Merlin," Uther said, surprising Merlin, "thank you."

"You're welcome," Merlin replied.

"Why did you go when I specifically ordered you not to?" Uther demanded. "What do I need to do to keep you out of trouble?"

_He doesn't waste time _Merlin thought bitterly. "What are you going to do? Lock me up? You've stolen my childhood, now you want to take my adulthood as well?"

"I'm just trying to do what's best for you…" Uther began but Merlin had, had enough,

"How is locking me up for the best? I am not helpless anymore, Uther. You can't hide me from the world."

"You shouldn't throw yourself into danger!" Uther snapped.

"Like you regularly send Arthur?" Merlin demanded. "I do what I can to help Arthur, and I'll keep doing that whether you like it or not." Before Uther could reply, Merlin turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.

"He let you leave? Just like that?" Evan asked, amazed.

"I guess I got his attention," Merlin replied with a shrug.

"That...is impressive," Arthur admitted, making Merlin jump.

"How long have you been standing there?" Merlin asked.

"A while," Arthur replied, shrugging. Merlin could tell Arthur wanted to talk so he turned to Evan to ask him to leave, but Evan seemed to realize that this was a private conversation.

"If that's all I'll be heading home?"

"Yes, thank you Evan," Merlin replied. Evan bowed before slipping out, leaving Arthur and Merlin alone.

"Did you really think Morgause was lying?" Arthur asked.

"I'm not sure," Merlin admitted, "but I knew you'd never forgive yourself if you killed Uther."

"Probably," Arthur agreed.

"None of this makes any sense," Merlin continued.

"I mean it's obvious magic was somehow involved in your birth but I know Morgause was right on one thing, for a life to be created with magic another has to be taken… And if your mother was the life that was taken why did it take eight years for her to die from it?"

"She always got sick..." Arthur whispered.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"My mother, she was always getting sick kind of like you after my birth," Arthur explained, "what if magic was somehow used to keep her alive?"

"It's possible…" Merlin admitted, "I just don't know for sure though."

"They're keeping something from us…" Arthur muttered.

"I just can't help but get the feeling that Uther knows about my magic…" Merlin blurted out.

"Why?" Arthur asked.

"He keeps claiming he only hates dark magic but anyone with magic seems to suddenly be evil, when the witch finder came just the way Uther reacted… it was like he was surprised that I had been using magic… I don't know… it's stupid I know…"

"We may never know the truth," Arthur agreed sadly, "but I promise, things will be different when I'm king, people with magic won't live in fear, and you'll be free."

"You'll be a great king one day," Merlin agreed.

"You think so?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"I know it."

**End Notes**

**Merlin is starting to wonder what's going on. Hopefully I'll be able to update more often since things have calmed down some. Review and tell me what you thought!**


	76. Chapter 76

**A/N**

**So I have good news and bad news, obviously the good news is that I've updated (well hopefully you see that as good news) the bad news is I'm leaving for a trip on the 7th and will be gone for two weeks with no internet. I'll try and update before I leave but it's likely that I won't have time. I hope you enjoy the chapter though!**

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><p>Merlin stiffly sat next to Arthur as the bounty hunter strode confidently into the throne room, followed by a pair of guards who dragged a druid girl behind them. The girl looked up at Merlin with pain filled eyes that were practically begging him to help her. Merlin clenched his hands as Uther sentenced the girl to death and handed the bounty hunter, Halig, a large bag of gold. The guards then dragged the girl out of the room and Halig followed, leaving Arthur, Merlin, Morgana and Uther alone.<p>

"What did she do to deserve death?" Merlin snapped. "The druids are peaceful, they'd never do anything to hurt someone."

"She's dangerous-" Uther began, but Merlin cut him off.

"She's a _druid_! They're peace-"

"They threw her out!" Uther snarled, causing Merlin to pause momentarily in disbelief.

"The druids would never turn their backs on someone who needed them," Merlin breathed.

"She's cursed," Uther explained. "It's better for everyone if she is killed now before any more innocents are harmed."

Merlin was seething by then, now Uther was making up pure nonsense to try and convince Merlin that he was right. Merlin wanted to fight back, to tell him how wrong he was, but he wisely stopped, knowing he wouldn't win this argument. Even Morgana looked away dejectedly, a look of defeat on her face.

Instead Merlin hung his head and said, "I didn't realize…"

Uther sighed. "I know you don't agree with everything I do. I don't like killing people, but it's for the best…"

Uther's words only made Merlin angrier, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I beg your pardon, Sire."

"It's alright, Merlin," Uther assured.

Merlin nodded stiffly before turning and leaving, Arthur following close behind.

Once they were outside, Arthur broke the silence. "Merlin, I know you want to help the girl, but there's nothing we can do."

"So you're going to just sit back and let her die?" Merlin hissed, furious.

"Merlin, Uther has guards watching her constantly. What can we do?" Arthur asked helplessly.

Merlin glared at him heatedly before storming off, too angry to reply. He swept into his chambers, startling Evan, who had been cleaning while he was gone.

"Is everything alright?" Evan asked tentatively.

"Fine. Just _peachy_," Merlin snapped, "Uther's just been executing innocent people and is expecting me to be _happy_ about it."

"So what's new?" Evan asked, grinning slightly.

Merlin chuckled weakly. "Not much."

The pair sat in a companionable silence for a few moments before Merlin sighed sadly. "I don't think I can stand watching Uther slaughter innocent people anymore," he whispered.

"When Arthur's king things will be different," Evan assured him. "But for now all any of us can do is sit back and hope for the best."

Merlin sighed and nodded dejectedly.

* * *

><p>That night Merlin lay on his bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Memories of the druid girl plagued his dreams. All he could think about was the look of utter defeat in her eyes, like she felt she deserved to die. It was all so wrong to him, and he couldn't stand it. What happened to her to make her believe she deserved to die?<p>

Merlin sat up, a determined look on his face, and quickly threw on some clothes. He cracked the door open and peered into the hallway to see if there were any guards nearby. When he saw that the hallway was clear, he slipped outside and slowly made his way to the dungeons. Despite what everyone seemed to think, Merlin refused to abandon the girl. He would not allow any more innocent people to die.

Merlin frowned slightly when he found a pair of guards standing right in front of a cell. Knowing it was the girl's, Merlin whispered a spell sending the guards crashing into the wall, knocking them unconscious. He ran to the cell door and unlocked it quickly.

"Follow me; I'm getting you out of here."

Wide eyed, the girl nodded her head. Merlin helped her to her feet, before hurrying out of the dungeons. He desperately hoped that they could get out of the castle before the warning bells went off. If they discovered him out of his chambers when they realized she was missing… Merlin didn't want to think about what Uther would do to him.

Merlin quickly realized he wouldn't be able to get her out of the city without some sort of plan to get past all the guards. Groaning, he quickly led the girl into the caves below the castle.

Merlin turned to her. "I promise I'll protect you."

"Why did you help me?" the girl whispered.

"Because it could have easily been me Uther was sentencing to death," Merlin easily replied. "… My name's Merlin."

"I'm Freya," Freya quietly replied, still terrified.

As Merlin turned to leave, he noticed how hurt Freya looked, and cold. Merlin removed his jacket and wrapped it around her.

"Don't worry, I'll come back later with some food."

Freya reluctantly nodded her head and curled up on the floor. Merlin glanced at her one last time before hurrying back towards the castle. Luck seemed to be on his side for once. Merlin only had to dodge a few guards on the way back to his chambers, and the warning bell remained silent. He quickly pulled the door shut and crawled back into bed to wait.

* * *

><p>Merlin jolted awake when he heard the warning bell going off, and realized he must have drifted off at some point. For a minute he wondered <em>why<em> the bells were going off, before he remembered _he_ was the reason they were going off. Merlin jumped when he heard a frantic knocking on his door, and forced himself to calm down. _They can't possibly know it was me who helped her. There's no way_. Merlin walked over to the door and pulled it open, and was unsurprised to find Leon standing there.

"Yes?" Merlin asked.

"The king sent me to make sure you were safe," Leon calmly informed him.

"What happened?" Merlin asked, trying to sound like he had no idea what was going on.

"The druid girl has escaped," Leon said steadily, "and guards found two dead people in the lower town."

Merlin frowned when he heard this. "What happened?" he asked, fear clenching his stomach.

"It appears a beast killed them," Leon said. "It would seem we have more than one monster running around in Camelot."


	77. Chapter 77

**A/N**

**Sorry about the delay, been pretty busy. But I hope you guys enjoy it!**

Merlin was once again startled awake by frantic knocking He sat up, grumbling about people's inability to let others sleep. Merlin yanked the door open and found himself face to face with a very concerned Arthur.

"Is something wrong?" Merlin asked, trying not to show his annoyance.

Arthur stepped inside the room and pulled the door shut. "Do you know anything about the druid girl's escape?" he asked.

"Yeah, come on in, no need to ask first," Merlin grumbled, completely ignoring the question, something Arthur quickly caught onto.

"Merlin, did you help the druid girl?" Arthur asked.

"No. And if I did, why are you so upset about it? In fact, I'm glad someone was brave enough to help her!"

"My father has ordered that the girl and whoever helped her to be killed on sight," Arthur informed him. "You know I wouldn't do that, but my men…" Arthur trailed off, unable to finish, but Merlin understood, somewhat, and decided that maybe this time he needed to keep Arthur out of this.

"Arthur, I promise, I wasn't involved." Merlin looked Arthur straight in the eye, willing him to believe what he was saying; praying he wouldn't see through his lie.

Arthur sighed in relief. "I do agree with you, though. I hope they have both gotten far away from the city. No matter what the druids say, she doesn't deserve to die."

"What did the druids say?" Merlin asked, anger rising up within him.

"They claim she's cursed; they were afraid of her," Arthur explained.

"Who told you that? Uther or the druids?" Merlin snapped, furious.

"Look, I'm just trying to tell you to be careful. I already have to worry about a monster that's running through Camelot!" Arthur shouted.

"The beast that killed the people in the lower town?" Merlin asked.

"Based on what we found… it looked like an animal attacked them, but human footprints lead away from the scene. We have no idea what this thing is, and if what everyone says about the girl is true we'd have an even bigger problem, especially if she's still in Camelot," Arthur explained.

"Just because Uther says something doesn't mean it's true," Merlin retorted, glaring heatedly at Arthur. No, he decided, he definitely couldn't tell Arthur.

"Merlin, I'm just trying to protect you!" Arthur snapped.

"Arthur, you know I'm not the defenseless little kid you grew up with," Merlin growled.

"That's not the point!" Arthur said. "You're like a brother to me, this… this thing that killed those people… no one knows what it is, no one's seen it… I'm scared and I don't want to see you get hurt."

Merlin took a deep breath to try and calm himself down. "Look, Arthur, I appreciate your concern, but you of all people should know that I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," Arthur assured as he pulled the door open, "but that doesn't stop me from worrying."

Arthur's words made Merlin pause long enough for him to slip out of the room. Seconds after Arthur left, there was a tentative knocking at the door and Evan stepped inside.

"Was that Arthur who just left?"

"Yes, he was just telling me about what happened last night in the lower town," Merlin said off-handedly.

"Oh," Evan muttered. "Well, here's your breakfast."

"Is everything alright?" Merlin asked, starting to get worried. Something about Evan seemed off, he seemed distracted.

"Yes, of course, everything's fine," Evan assured hurriedly.

"Evan, you can tell me if something's wrong," Merlin assured.

"And you can tell me," Evan muttered, so quietly that Merlin almost didn't hear him. In a much louder voice Evan said, "is there anything else you need, my Lord?"

Merlin blinked and looked at his food. "Actually, could you fetch me some more food? I'm starving."

Merlin hurried through the castle, clutching a bag of food for Freya, hoping no one would question why he was wandering the castle. Once he reached the caves he set the food down and touched Freya's shoulder to shake her awake, only for Freya to bolt up, staring at him in terror. She calmed down as she recognized her visitor.

"You came back," Freya breathed.

"I promised," Merlin replied, shrugging.

"Earlier… when you said it could have been you..." Freya began. "I thought you were the kings ward…"

"How'd you know that?" Merlin asked.

"I saw you in the throne room," Freya muttered.

"Well, ward or not, Uther hates magic. I know he claims to hate only dark magic but to him all magic is dark; to him there is no good magic."

"I brought you food fit for a king!" he exclaimed, setting the bag of food down in front of Freya, who immediately tore into it hungrily.

Merlin caught sight of the Druid mark on her wrist. "Is that the mark of the Druids?" he asked.

Freya didn't answer as Merlin placed some candles down next to Freya and let them with a quick spell. "Where you born a druid?" Merlin asked trying to start a conversation.

"Why are you asking me all of these questions?" Freya demanded.

"Sorry I didn't mean to," Merlin replied slightly embarrassed. Arthur always said Merlin talked way too much for his own good.

"Sorry," Freya muttered, "does anyone else know you have magic?"

"One other person but… he just doesn't understand," Merlin replied.

"I've always wanted to be like everyone else," Freya muttered.

"But deep down you always knew you were different?" Merlin suggested.

"Because I'm cursed," Freya whispered.

"Don't say that!" Merlin exclaimed, "Magic doesn't have to be a curse, it can be a gift. Look." Merlin turned to the flames and whispered a spell causing them to rise.

"Beautiful…" Freya breathed as she watched the flames.

With a wave of Merlin's hand the flame's fell back onto the candles. He looked over at Freya sadly. "I have to go, but I will be back… with more food," he added when he saw all the food had gone.

Freya chuckled slightly.

"I promise."

Evan was starting to get very worried about Merlin; he kept vanishing without a trace only to reappear hours later claiming he'd never left. Evan wished he would just be honest with him. Merlin had always said he saw Evan as a friend, so why wouldn't he just be honest with him? Merlin knew Evan was trustworthy, so why all the secrets?

Evan watched Merlin carefully as he quickly ate his lunch. Well, half of his lunch. Suddenly Merlin stood declaring, "I'm full..." but when Evan reached over to take the plate, Merlin batted his hand away.

"I'll do that. You go have the rest of the day off."

Evan stared at Merlin for a moment, ready to argue but forced himself not to. Instead he said, "Thank you my lord." He bowed and then left, only to quickly dive into the nearest alcove to see if Merlin would leave again. Less than a minute later Merlin poked his head out of his room and looked around before hurrying out, clutching a napkin that appeared to have the remains of his lunch inside. Curious, Evan followed Merlin, who didn't appear to be looking to see if anyone was following him. They hurried through the castle and then into the caves that were beneath. Before they reached their destination, Evan was almost positive about who they were going to see. Merlin entered one of the caves and Evan looked around the corner and saw the druid girl. Evan pulled his head away before he could get spotted, eyes wide in horror. Merlin was helping the druid girl; Merlin was helping a monster!

Shaking slightly, Evan looked around the corner and paused. She didn't look like the monster people kept talking about. She didn't look cursed, even. She looked more scared than anything. If Evan thought about it though, he wasn't too surprised by the fact that Uther lied through his teeth about how dangerous the girl really was. The girl looked sad when Evan looked at her again as Merlin gently took her hands in his.

"I'll be back, I promise."

Before he could get caught, Evan decided he should just tell them he was there, so he stepped out. "So this is where you've been running off to."


	78. Chapter 78

**A/N**

**I forgot to mention this earlier but 1000 reviews! YESS I love you guys seriously! I never thought this would become so popular you guys made my day here. Sorry about the delay, life seems to like getting in the way, but here it is. So here you go enjoy.**

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><p>Merlin jumped and whirled around, coming face to face with his manservant.<p>

"E-Evan? What… how did you find…" Merlin stammered, knowing there was no denying what Evan was seeing.

"Merlin, don't you know what Uther plans to do to whoever helped the druid gir-"

"Her name is Freya!" Merlin snapped, glaring at Evan.

"Regardless, Uther will kill you if he sees you with her!" Evan exclaimed.

Merlin sighed in annoyance. "Look, he won't see her!" he growled, fighting to keep his temper under control.

"You haven't exactly been very sneaky," Evan commented dryly.

"Why were you following me?" Merlin demanded.

"I was worried about you!" Evan replied.

"So you decided to follow me?" Merlin asked.

"If you'd just told me what was going on…" Evan began.

"You would have turned me in," Merlin replied tartly.

"I would have given you a change to explain," Evan sighed.

"She's not evil," Merlin whispered desperately. "Magic doesn't make someone evil…"

"I know," Evan assured, "but she needs to leave Camelot. Soon."

"I'm working on it," Merlin assured. "Please just don't tell Uther."

"I won't," Evan replied. "But this does explain all the extra food you've been eating." Merlin smiled sheepishly and Evan continued. "You need to hurry though; Uther's getting angrier by the day, especially with all of these deaths…"

"There have been more deaths?" Merlin asked.

"All in the lower town," Evan replied.

"Be careful," Merlin blurted out before he could stop himself.

"You too," Evan replied, before slipping out of the cave.

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><p>As Evan made his way through the lower town, he noticed Gaius and Arthur standing around more bodies.<p>

"Eyewitnesses claim to have seen a giant black cat with wings," Arthur was saying.

"Do they have any idea what it was?" Evan asked.

Gaius and Arthur turned to Evan, and Evan took in Gaius's focused look.

"I think…" Gaius began. "Evan, could you come with me? I could use some help."

"Of course," Evan agreed, immediately following Gaius as he hurried through the lower town towards the castle. Gaius strode to the book shelf and started pulling down books, handing several of them to Evan.

"I've heard about this creature somewhere… we need to find it," Gaius told Evan quickly.

"Can all this help us kill the creature?" Evan asked.

"Hopefully," Gaius replied, "now get reading!"

* * *

><p>Merlin wandered aimlessly through the castle, trying to figure out how to get himself and Freya out of the castle. He didn't care that Uther would find him and force him to come back to Camelot; he loved Freya, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. They couldn't do that in Camelot, though, they needed to leave so that they could be together. Then an idea hit him. What if he dressed Freya up as a noblewoman and they just walked out of Camelot? How would he get a dress, though? Morgana was the obvious answer, but he had to somehow figure out a way to convince her to help him. Sighing, Merlin stopped in front of her chambers and knocked on the door.<p>

"Merlin!" Gwen exclaimed when she opened the door and saw him there. "What can I do for you?"

"Is Morgana here?" Merlin asked.

"Is something wrong?" Morgana asked, coming up beside Gwen.

"Can I speak to you alone?" Merlin asked, blushing slightly.

"Of course," Morgana assured. "Gwen, could you give us a minute?"

"Of course, my lady," Gwen replied, curtseying, before slipping out of the room.

Merlin stepped inside and Morgana pulled the door shut behind him.

"Merlin, what's wrong?"

Merlin took a deep breath before admitting, "It was me who helped the druid girl escape!"

Morgana stared at Merlin for a minute. "If she's escaped, than what's the problem?"

"She's still in Camelot!" Merlin exclaimed, "I need a way to disguise her to help her get out."

Morgana nodded her head and immediately pulled a dress out, handing it to Merlin. "Take this and follow my lead."

Slightly confused, Merlin nodded and they were off. As they made their way through the castle they passed Arthur, who stared at them in confusion. Merlin opened his mouth to explain but Morgana beat him too it.

"Merlin and I made a bet, but he lost and now has to go shopping with me."

Arthur winced sympathetically. "I am so sorry, Merlin," he whispered, patting Merlin's shoulder. "It'll be over soon though… hopefully."

Morgana smirked, linking arms with Merlin and dragging him off.

"You love her, don't you?" Morgana asked in a hushed voice, sounding very sad.

"I… yes," Merlin replied, realizing he really did love her.

"You're planning on going with her," Morgana stated, looking at Merlin sadly. There was no point in denying it.

"I want to be with her," Merlin whispered. "Uther would never allow it. Please don't try and stop me."

"I won't… but I'll miss you… we'll miss you."

"Once Arthur is king, we'll come back," Merlin promised.

"You had better," Morgana warned, letting go of his arm.

"Tell Uther something, anything, that will keep him from looking for me for a while," Merlin begged.

"Don't worry; I'll take care of Uther," Morgana promised. "Now go."

Merlin nodded and turned too hurried to Freya.

* * *

><p>Evan had hit the point where he was mindlessly flipping through the pages, no longer truly seeing what he was reading. It was all a blur to him. He wasn't sure how much time had passed since he'd started reading through the thick volumes with Gaius, but he knew it had been a long time.<p>

"I've found it!" Gaius exclaimed, startling Evan out of his reverie.

"What is it?" Evan asked, stumbling over to Gaius.

"The creature is a Baset; that means… the druid girl and the monster are one in the same!"

"What do you mean?" Evan asked, struggling to keep up with the physician.

"Halig claimed the druid girl was cursed," Gaius explained calmly, "and a Baset is someone who has been cursed to turn into a bloodthirsty monster at midnight."

"The druid girl is the Baset," Evan breathed.

"Yes," Gaius agreed eyes narrowing. "Do you know anything about the druid girl that you haven't told me?"

"Maybe… just give me a few minutes!" Evan exclaimed, not waiting for an answer before running out of the door. When he found Merlin in his chambers he found his friend packing a bag, clearly preparing to leave.

"Going somewhere?" Evan asked.

"I'm leaving with Freya," Merlin said, not beating around the bush.

"You can't!" Evan exclaimed, fear settling in the pit of his stomach.

"I love her, Evan; I want to be with her. This is-"

"Merlin, you don't understand! She's dangerous!"

"You saw her!" Merlin snarled. "There's nothing dangerous about her!"

Merlin couldn't understand why Evan was suddenly turning against him, while Evan was trying desperately to get Merlin to see reason.

"Merlin, you need to listen to me! Freya is the beast who's been killing all of those people!"

"Freya isn't a monster!" Merlin shouted, fury written all across his face. Most people would have run at the sight of such fury, but Evan needed him to understand.

"She's been cursed to turn into a monster every night at midnight," Evan explained desperately. "She isn't doing this on purpose, but she's still dangerous."

"You're lying!" Merlin snarled, furious not even beginning to cover just how angry he was.

Evan took a few steps away from Merlin, fear settling in the pit of his stomach.

"Please, just listen to me, Merlin," Evan begged, but Merlin wasn't listening to him anymore.

"I get it; you don't want me to be happy. Fine! But you are not going to stop me from being with Freya!" And with that, Merlin stormed out of the room, leaving a bewildered and hurt Evan behind.


	79. Chapter 79

Merlin wasn't just angry, he was furious. How _dare_ Evan imply Freya killed those people, she was kind and caring and would never harm anyone. Merlin quickly made his was down to the caves under the castle, knowing they had to get out of Camelot before Evan inevitably went to see Uther and tell him about Freya. He didn't care anymore about what his friends would think when he was gone; all he cared about was him getting safely out of Camelot with Freya. Merlin felt at stab of pain at the thought of Evans distrust if Merlin's judgment but pushed it aside, now wasn't the time to get upset.

Merlin ran into the room where Freya was and froze. The candles where out, and the dress Merlin had given Freya earlier spread out on the floor, Freya nowhere in sight. Merlin's mind reeled as he tried to figure out where Freya had gone when the warning bells started ringing.

"No…" Merlin breathed before running out of the cave.

* * *

><p>Arthur sat in his chambers, worried about how Merlin had been acting for the past several days. Arthur had talked to Morgana earlier, who'd said,<p>

"Can't you see it? Merlin's in love!" Arthur chuckled to himself slightly trying to figure out who the mystery girl was when suddenly the warning bells went off startling Arthur out of his reverie. Arthur quickly pulled on his armor and ran out of the castle and ran in the direction a nearby guard had silently pointed when he saw Arthur coming. Arthur quickly pushed his way through the group of knights that had gathered around the druid girl. When she saw Arthur she begged,

"Please… just let me go." Arthur saw the terrified look in her eyes and couldn't help but think of Merlin, what if it was him standing where the girl was begging for his life? Just when Arthur considered doing something to distract the knights so she could get away the bells tolled signaling it was midnight, and the girl collapsed onto her knees screaming in pain as her body stretched and thickened, tearing her dress to shreds. Her hands became paws and long black wings sprouted from her back as her screaming turned to howling. For a minute the creature lay on the floor in pain until one of his knights shouted and charged at it, sword raised.

The knight, who Arthur quickly realized was Caine slashed across the creatures exposed chest and, howling, he creature raised one of its enormous black paws and hit Caine sending him flying and he hit the wall with a sickening crunch and fell to the floor a lifeless heap. Terrified the rest of the men charged at the creature and chaos erupted. The now terrified creature started tearing the knights, who got too close to it to shreds, and all Arthur could do was stand there and watch, to horror struck to move.

"Retreat!" Arthur shouted, quickly realizing there was nothing he could do to stop the creature. His men didn't need telling twice. The men who could immediately fled the bloodbath, leaving the injured to slowly die. Arthur felt sick as he gave the pile of bodied another glance, their blood soaking the ground leaving a sea of red. Turning away from the carnage Arthur ran after his men, quickly followed by the enraged creature. Once they were in the courtyard Arthur quickly had his men spread out so they could try and surround the creature, his remaining men raised their sword as the creature ran into the courtyard snarling. Just as Arthur was about to give the order to charge, a gargoyle shattered in front of them giving the creature time to fly away. Arthur whipped around and his eyes landed on Merlin who looked at him sadly. Their eyes met, Merlin's eyes instantly telling Arthur everything. Merlin had helped the druid girl; Merlin was the one to help her escape now. Before Arthur could say or do anything he was gone, running after the creature that had killed at least a dozen of his men, but he couldn't bring himself to stop Merlin.

* * *

><p>Merlin ran down to the caves beneath the castle, knowing that was where she would go. Merlin's heart hammered in his chest as he made his way down there, praying that she was alright, begging something, anyone that she would live. When Merlin got to her, Freya had already changed back and was curled up in a tight ball, trying feebly to cover herself. Merlin instantly removed his jacket and covered her as best he could, trying to ignore the deep cut that stretched from her left hip to her right shoulder and how it was still rapidly bleeding. Ignoring how the rational part of him screamed that she was going to die, Merlin desperately said,<p>

"Here; I can heal that…"

"No," Freya whispered, "it's too deep." Merlin couldn't speak, something inside of him broke at her words, deep down he knew it was true, but a small part of him had clung onto that small shred of hope that maybe he could save her, that maybe destiny would let him be happy. But the rational part of himself said that could never happen, destiny had other plans, destiny would not let him stray, ever.

"A sorceress cursed me when I accidentally killed her son… I didn't mean to… I tried to apologize but then she cursed to so that I would have to kill every night for the rest of my life…" Freya weakly explained, her eyes begging Merlin to understand.

"It's not your fault," Merlin whispered desperately. Trying desperately to control his rampaging emotions, Merlin slowly pulled Morganas dress over Freya's dying form and pulled her into his arms and started the long trek to the lake he'd saved Arthur from. Merlin vividly remembered the misty mountains that surrounded it, the bright trees and sat by the edge of the lake and how the mist created a mystical feel to the lake.

Once Merlin was out of Camelot the weight of what was happening hit Merlin full force, making him want to collapse to the floor and never get up again, but he forced himself to keep walking, to keep going, he had to make it, she deserved to see this. Once they finally reached the lake Merlin sat Freya on the ground and cradled her against his chest.

"Freya, look," Merlin whispered, fighting to keep his tears at bay. Freya's eyes opened slowly, but when she saw where Merlin had taken her she smiled weakly,

"You remembered."

"We could have had a life together," Merlin whispered, "we could have done so much…"

"Thank you Merlin," Freya whispered weakly stopping Merlin.

"For what?" Merlin asked.

"For making me feel loved…I will find a way to repay you… I swear…" Freya gasped weakling before slumping against Merlin lifelessly. Merlin choked on a sob and held her against himself tightly, finally allowing the tears to escape. She was gone, and Merlin was alone again.

* * *

><p>Merlin sat lifelessly on the window sill in his chambers, staring numbly at the courtyard below. Evan had only come in for short periods of time, and every time he had come in he hadn't spoken, hadn't even looked at Merlin, and Merlin had been to upset himself to try and say anything so silence filled the room, thick and heavy. The door opened and closed quickly, and Merlin assuming it was Evan didn't say anything. Merlin felt an arm gently wrap itself around Merlin's shoulder and he was pulled against a strong chest. Merlin shut his eyes immediately knowing who it was.<p>

"Morgana told me what you were planning…" Arthur whispered, squeezing Merlin's shoulder, "I'm sorry… I wanted to help but then my men attacked and she started slaughtering them and…I'm sorry…"

"It's not your fault," Merlin assured, "its mine… I should have known there was nothing I could do…"

"How could you have known she was cursed?" Arthur asked.

"Evan tried to warn me…" Merlin muttered, feeling like a complete failure. Arthur didn't ask why Merlin had told his servant and not Arthur, he didn't have the heart to bring it up, not yet, not when the wounds where still so fresh.

"We were going to live by a lake surrounded by mountains, just like when she was a child," Merlin explained.

"You don't have to…" Arthur began but Merlin cut him off.

"No… I want to." Arthur nodded his head and settled down next to Merlin who began, "she didn't have magic… but she was cursed by an angry sorceress…"

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

** I'll be honest (don't kill me) But I actually considered letting Freya live after all those reviews begging me too. (And then someone demanded I kill her which really threw me but I digress…) anyways, but after thinking long and hard about it I realized that the story wouldn't work right if she lived so I had to do it. I hope you enjoyed it though!**


	80. Chapter 80

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay guys, my beta was out of town and couldn't edit this until now. BUT it's here now! PLEASE read the end notes, you'll be glad you did… I hope…**

* * *

><p>"Are we making a peace treaty or going to war?" Merlin teased when Arthur entered his chambers.<p>

"What are you doing in here?" Arthur demanded.

"What? Can't I stop by and say hi?" Merlin asked innocently.

"You're avoiding Evan, aren't you?" Arthur asked.

"No!" Merlin replied, too quickly.

Arthur raised his eyebrows, giving Merlin a look of disbelief. It had been a week since Freya had been killed and the servant and master still walked on pins and needles around each other. It was driving Arthur mad.

"Why don't you want to talk to him?" Arthur asked gently.

"Look, Arthur, its nothing," Merlin assured, walking towards the window, "What I'd like to know is why Uther is acting like he's signed his own death warrant." He pulled back the curtain and watched as the king made his way through the courtyard.

Arthur walked over to the window and stood next to Merlin. "Well, according to my father, if these peace treaties work out, Camelot will enter a new era of peace… but if they fail we will certainly be going to war."

"So… Camelot and the other five kingdoms are taking a huge risk with this treaty."

"That's an understatement," Arthur muttered, stepping away from the window and heading to his dresser.

Merlin shrugged as Arthur stepped behind the screen to change, though why Arthur felt he had to go back there when changing shirts was a mystery to him.

"So what happens now?" Merlin asked idly, running his fingers over the books in Arthur's bookshelf. Merlin smiled slightly to himself as he remembered the long rainy nights when he was little curled up next to Arthur as he read the many tomes aloud to Merlin.

"Now, I have to act nice to _Vivian._" Arthur spat the name out like it was a poison.

"Is there something wrong with her?" Merlin asked.

"She's extremely rude," Arthur said shortly.

"I think you don't like her because she insulted Gwen," Merlin teased.

Arthur stuck his head out from behind the screen. "Who told you?"

"You did," Merlin replied cheekily.

Arthur huffed and stepped out. "What is wrong with my useless manservant?"

"What has he done this time?" Merlin sighed, rolling his eyes.

"What kind of message does this send?" Arthur demanded, holding up his sleeve to show a rather large hole that he had fitted his thumb through.

"That we have moths?" Merlin asked, shrugging innocently.

Groaning, Arthur rolled his eyes and stomped to the dresser to try and find a shirt that didn't have any holes in it.

"So who are you trying to impress?" Merlin asked.

"No one," Arthur sighed. "It looks bad, though, to wear ripped clothes; you should know that."

"What about Vivian? She's pretty," Merlin commented, trying to suppress a grin.

"Don't say that too close to her father," Arthur warned. "He'll have your head before you can say hello."

"Something else that he and Uther have in common," Merlin grumbled.

Arthur burst out laughing at that comment. "Maybe he'll let you talk to her," he added. "You can complain about overprotective fathers."

Merlin groaned as Arthur continued to laugh at his expense.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Merlin sat next to Arthur, clapping loudly as King Alined's performer, Trickler, blew fire from his mouth, lighting all the candles on the table.<p>

"Bet you could do better," Arthur whispered, leaning close to Merlin so no one else could hear.

"Probably," Merlin agreed, still clapping, "but this is still neat to watch."

"Can't argue with that," Arthur agreed.

Merlin tried not to laugh when Evan jumped as Trickler blew flames in his direction.

"But it is not enough to please just the gentlemen in this court!" Trickler declared loudly as the men continued to applaud. The hall grew eerily silent as he continued, "Now I have a spectacle for the ladies."

Merlin frowned slightly as Trickler waved his arms, making butterflies appear out of thin air.

"Do you think he's using real magic?" Arthur whispered when he noticed Merlin's face.

"I hope not," Merlin answered.

"But what is this?" He asked, approaching Vivian. "Lady Vivian..."

Merlin looked over at King Olaf, Vivian's father, who did not look happy about this. Trickler reached into Vivian's hair and drew his hand back, a butterfly resting on his finger. She giggled as Trickler continued.

"...It has mistaken you for a beautiful flower."

King Olaf sat back in his chair, much calmer, as the hall once again erupted into applause.

"Did that seem odd to you?" Arthur asked, frowning slightly.

"So it's not just me," Merlin agreed. Couldn't Camelot stay out of trouble for once?

As Trickler walked off, Merlin desperately tried to convince himself that he was overreacting; why would someone perform magic like that in front of Uther? Merlin sighed as he looked around the hall, praying things would go smoothly.

* * *

><p>The next morning, during breakfast, Evan finally broke the silence.<p>

"Arthur is scaring the servants," he informed Merlin.

"What's he doing this time?" Merlin asked, rolling his eyes.

"Well, he got dressed himself, and was being nice," Evan explained, making Merlin pause mid-bite.

"The getting dressed himself I can see…kind of… maybe" Merlin said slowly. "It's the nice thing that's really got me worried at the moment though."

"You and me both…" Evan muttered.

After he'd eaten, Merlin quickly made his way over to Arthur's chambers, intent on seeing what was going on. He barely knocked on the door before pushing if open.

"Arthur? Is everything alright? I hear you've been scaring the servants…" Merlin frowned when he noticed Arthur staring out the window, a strange look on his face. "Hello? Arthur?"

"Isn't it a beautiful day?" Arthur asked, spinning around to face Merlin.

"I…guess…" Merlin agreed slowly. Something was definitely wrong with Arthur.

"Today, it is my mission to woo."

"Woo?" Merlin repeated.

"Declare my love!" Arthur explained happily.

"What about Uther? What will he say?"

"Who cares what he thinks?" Arthur demanded. This was so wrong Merlin didn't even know where to begin. Why couldn't things go smoothly? For once?

"That's one way of looking at it," Merlin muttered, mind still reeling.

"I need help expressing my feelings!" Arthur explained, adopting an expression that was so pitiful, Merlin could barely believe that this was the same person he had spoken to the night before.

"Well… umm… you could give her flowers," he suggested.

"Perfect!" Arthur exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "What about a note to go with them! Something… romantic… something that expresses my feelings for her… you'll think of something." Arthur patted Merlin's back, looking ridiculously pleased with himself.

"I guess I can manage that…" Merlin muttered, mostly to himself, as he left Arthur's chambers. He didn't wait for a response. As strange as the whole situation seemed, Merlin decided that if Arthur was going to be open about his feelings for Gwen, he wasn't going to question it.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Merlin you should have made sure they were for Gwen lol. Anyways, for my readers of Brothers? And that whole series, remember when I said that Brothers was the end… well I kind of lied. So as I was scrolling through my old reviews (yes I do that sometimes when I feel bad about my writing, it's a good thing I did to!) and I stumbled across one from ****MamzelleHermy**** who asked about Morgana… that and coupled with having recently watched Cinderella 2 I got an idea for the sequel to** **Brothers! Can't say much yet, the sequel is called Vengeance. Don't know if I'll wait until I just finish writing it or until the Dragon Lords Son is complete before posting it… depends on how much time I have and how I feel and several other things but it is in the works. Let me know what you think about this chapter and the upcoming sequel Vengeance! **


	81. Chapter 81

**A/N**

** HEY! So, I was bored before class, didn't feel like doing homework so I wrote this chapter instead. I sent it off to my beta and an hour later she had finished editing. So here you go guys!**

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><p>Grinning, Merlin made his way through the castle. He was sure that this was proof that everything he thought was true, felt that somehow this proved that Arthur was better than Uther. If Arthur could see past Gwen's status as a servant and see the beautiful woman within, why couldn't he do that for everyone else?<p>

"Did you give them to her?" Arthur asked when he spotted Merlin.

"She wasn't there when I dropped them off, but I left them where she can see them," Merlin assured. "Gwen's going to love it!"

"Gwen?" Arthur asked slowly.

"Yes, I left them at Gwen's house-" Merlin began, gasping in pain when a fist collided with his face.

"You idiot!" Arthur snarled.

"Wha-?" Merlin began, mind reeling. Wasn't Arthur his friend? What did he do?

"What could possibly make you think I was talking about _Gwen_?" Arthur snapped, glaring daggers at Merlin who was still holding his throbbing cheek. "She's just a servant! Can't you do _anything_ right?"

"Who were you talking about?" Merlin whispered, feeling sick.

"Vivian of course!" Arthur exclaimed, his eyes going misty. "She's the most beautiful woman I've ever met. She's sweet and amazing." Glaring at Merlin again, Arthur snapped, "Fix this!"

Ordinarily, Merlin would have wondered why Arthur had completely forgotten about his feelings for Gwen, but in that moment, Arthur's words were ringing through his head and he couldn't stand it.

"I'm your friend, Arthur!" Merlin snapped. "Not you're servant! Go fix it yourself." He turned to leave but Arthur lashed out, grabbing his collar and dragging him back to face him.

"What did you say?" Arthur growled.

"I thought we were friends… no I thought we were brothers. I guess I was wrong," Merlin snapped, hurt evident in his eyes. "I guess I was wrong." For a moment Merlin thought he saw a flash of regret in Arthur's eyes, but it was gone in a flash and Arthur shoved Merlin away.

"Fine. If you want something done right you need to do it yourself…" Arthur snapped, before leaving Merlin standing in the hallway, hurt and confusion written across his face.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Evan was slightly confused and worried when he found Merlin sitting on the window sill, rubbing the scars on his wrists, his whole body trembling.<p>

"My lord? Is something wrong?" Evan asked.

Merlin looked up. "I-I'm fine…" he stammered. "I just… bad day and umm…"

But Evan wasn't paying attention to Merlin's words; all he noticed was the horrible bruise on Merlin's face. "Merlin, what happened! Who did this?" Evan asked frantically, grabbing Merlin's face to inspect the bruise.

"A- um…" Merlin stammered, refusing to look at Evan.

"I'll… let me see if Gaius has something to help," Evan said, realizing Merlin wasn't going to talk.

When Evan left, Merlin's mind wandered back to his 'family'. Merlin knew that he was being ridiculous, it was just a bruise. But that fact that Arthur was the one who gave it to him was what had him so shaken. Arthur's anger was so sudden; seeming to come from nowhere, his mind just couldn't process it. It brought back painful memories of Uther whipping him for a crime, which, as far as Uther knew, he didn't actually commit. It made Merlin wonder if all Pendragons were violent; if they always hurt people they were supposed to care about.

Merlin couldn't stop thinking about it, even when Evan returned with a small container of some strange paste. Evan uncapped the container and started spreading the strange goop over the rapidly forming bruise.

"Gaius says this will help prevent swelling, he wanted to see what happened, but I told him you tripped and banged your head on the table."

"Thank you," Merlin muttered, mind not fully focusing on the conversation.

"What happened? Maybe Arthur can-" Evan began, but Merlin cut him off.

"Arthur won't help!" he snapped. "He was the one who did this!"

"What?" Evan asked, mind reeling. "I don't-"

"Arthur got mad at me," Merlin explained. "I did something wrong, he wasn't happy so he punched me."

"Arthur gets mad at people a lot, but he's never physically harmed someone like this," Evan said, mind reeling. This explained why Merlin was so upset.

"I don't know who that man was," Merlin muttered, "because whoever he was, he wasn't Arthur."

Evan stood, saying something about needing to return the stuff to Gaius and left. Something was wrong; Arthur would never hurt someone for something so stupid. Ever. There was something else going on, something Merlin had missed. Evan was so lost in thought that he didn't see Morgana until he'd collided with her, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, my Lady!" Evan exclaimed, scrambling to his feet to help Morgana up.

"No harm done," Morgana assured. "Something's troubling you."

Evan didn't even bother asking how she could tell, it was probably written all across his face.

"Arthur hurt Merlin, it just doesn't seem right at all," Evan explained.

"He hurt Merlin?" Morgana asked.

"He punched him," Evan clarified.

"Why would he do that?" Morgana demanded.

"That's what I'd like to figure out," Evan replied.

"I think I need to have a word with Arthur as well," Morgana growled, stalking off in the direction of Arthur's chambers. The pair came to an abrupt halt when they spotted Arthur standing outside Vivian's door with a plate of food, looking dejected.

"What is wrong with you, Arthur?" Morgana demanded, livid.

"You're going to have to be more specific Morgana," Arthur grumbled.

"Why did you hit Merlin?" Morgana snapped.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Morgana, he's a big boy, he'll be fine," Arthur sighed.

"That's not the point, Arthur, and you know it!" Morgana shouted. "What did he do to justify hitting him?"

"What possessed him to think I was in love with some serving girl," Arthur growled.

"What?" Morgana asked.

"He thought I was in love with Gwen," Arthur spat.

"You said…" Morgana began, stunned, but Arthur cut her off.

"Vivian is my love! But she doesn't seem to share my affections…" Arthur trailed off, looking sad.

Morgana gaped at Arthur, too stunned to speak.

Evan, deciding to try and figure out what was going on, gently grabbed the prince's elbow and led him away. "It seems Lady Vivian is not interested, why don't you enjoy a nice quiet dinner by yourself?"

"What's the point?" Arthur sighed, looking rather like a lost puppy.

Once they were gone Morgana shook her head and made her way to Merlin's chambers, mind reeling. Not even bothering to knock, Morgana strode inside.

"Something is definitely wrong with Arthur; he's acting like a hormonal woman!"

"I'm not even going to try and figure out what's going through that man's head," Merlin grumbled, looking more angry then upset.

"One minute he was blowing his top off, the next he was lovesick, and then he looked like a kicked puppy," Morgana continued. "It's not right."

Merlin shrugged, and Morgana noticed the ugly bruise on his face.

Before Merlin could answer Evan burst in saying, "I think Arthur's been enchanted!"

"Why?" Merlin asked, perking up slightly.

"Arthur found this under his pillow," Evan explained, handing Merlin a clump of familiar blond hair. "He thought it was some sick joke but I think it's magic."

"It must be," Merlin agreed, staring at the hair, eyes shining. "That's the only explanation!" Without saying another word, Merlin raced off, leaving a very confused Evan and Morgana behind.

"What do you think he's up to?" Evan wondered out loud.

"I think he's going to try and fix Arthur," Morgana replied, grinning.

* * *

><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**Unfortunately I can't promise the next update will by super fast like this one was. But I will try to get it out as quickly as possible!**


	82. Chapter 82

**A/N**

** So who is super excited for season 5? From what I've seen and heard from the cast it is going to be epic! Anyways, enjoy this longer chapter!**

* * *

><p>Merlin frantically flipped through Gaius's many tomes, hoping that one of them would have something that could reverse the spell on Arthur. He quickly realized, though, that unless he knew exactly which spell he needed to use, the consequences would be terrible for Arthur.<p>

"Any luck?" Gaius asked.

"No. I can't afford to get this wrong. This one here will permanently turn him into as toad, another could kill him..."

"Best not get it wrong than," Gaius advised.

Merlin glared. "No kidding," he snapped, turning back to his reading. But as he kept reading, a feeling of hopelessness took over. The task of figuring out the right spell seemed almost impossible; there were over a dozen spells that involved hair and getting the spell wrong could prove deadly. Sighing, Merlin studied the spell he'd been looking at, thinking hard. Something in his gut told him that this was the right spell. His head, however, was screaming at him to think this through. One wrong move and it could be over.

"Keep looking. I'm sure you'll find something," Gaius assured.

* * *

><p>Arthur stared up at the ceiling wistfully, wishing he knew how to make Vivian return his feelings. He just didn't understand why she didn't; he was nice to her; every woman he met, except Morgana, told him he was attractive; he was the future king of Camelot! But, despite his efforts Vivian apparently wasn't interested in him.<p>

Arthur sat up when he heard something being shoved under his door. Curious, he slowly made his way over to the door and flung it open, but the corridor was empty. He looked down and saw a note with his name on it. Excited, Arthur picked up the paper and slowly unfolded it.

_Arthur,_

_ Please meet me tonight. I really want to see you._

There was no signature but Arthur didn't need one to know exactly who the note was from: Vivian. How would he see her, though? King Olaf had placed guards outside her door to prevent anyone but himself from visiting her. He didn't particularly care what Olaf thought but the guards would make it impossible to get in. Then a thought hit him. What if he climbed the wall to see her? It's not like he hadn't climbed walls like that before. Arthur would finally be with his love!

That night, Arthur confidently strode out of his chambers and walked from the castle. No one stopped him or questioned him. Seeing Arthur roaming the castle at night was not uncommon; Uther regularly had Arthur patrol the castle to make sure no one was slacking off. Once Arthur was below Vivian's window, he glanced over at the guards, who continued to stare ahead of them, not even glancing to the side to make sure no one was trying to scale the castle wall. Arthur would have to talk to them about that, but for now this worked perfectly.

He climbed the wall quickly; the need to see his love pushing him forward, making him climb even faster. Once he reached Vivian's window he pushed it open and slipped inside, smiling down at the sleeping form of his beloved. He reached down and caressed her cheek causing her to stir.

Vivian opened her eyes and exclaimed, "My love!"

"Always," Arthur whispered.

Grinning Vivian threw herself at Arthur, crashing her lips onto his. Arthur's hand slipped around her neck, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was so perfect, so magical.

Arthur heard the door open, but he didn't care, he was holding the woman he loved more than anything in his arms and her lips where on his, soft and beautiful.

"I knew it!" someone shouted, causing Vivian to pull away.

A furious Olaf stormed into the room, glaring daggers at the prince.

"Arthur!" Uther exclaimed, confusion written across his face.

Arthur didn't care how either of them felt, though. He loved Vivian! Nothing could tear them apart!

Olaf ripped off his glove and threw it at Arthurs feet. "You once said that if you were ever to offend my honour you would gladly pay the price. What say you now, Prince?"

Arthur leapt to his feet. "How have I offended you? Surely not by love alone?" What was so wrong with their love? Even his own father seemed disappointed.

"Love?" Olaf scoffed. "What do you know about love? You're taking advantage of my innocent daughter!"

"Father-" Vivian sighed.

"Arthur!" Uther snapped.

Why wasn't his father ever happy with the woman he wanted? Uther's confusion had turned quickly turned to anger, all directed towards Arthur. He obviously didn't love Arthur like Vivian did. Arthur would fight for her until his last breath!

"I assure you, my love for Vivian is as true as it is strong!" Arthur declared, tightening his grip around her waist.

"Unhand my daughter or there will be consequences!" Olaf snarled. Arthur glared at him defiantly. "Is this love worth risking your life for?"

"Arthur?" Vivian asked, looking up at him hopefully.

Straightening himself, Arthur declared, "Yes!" He picked up the glove. "I love her with all my heart; I would rather die than be without her."

Uther put his head in his hand and groaned, leaning heavily against the wall.

Arthur would show him, he'd show all of them.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Morgana burst into Merlin's chambers. "Is it true?"<p>

Sighing, Merlin whispered, "I failed… I tried but the spell wouldn't work…"

"I don't think Arthur can win," Morgana replied, terror written plainly across her face. "He's not… something is wrong with him. He's not in his right form. Olaf will kill him!"

"I know!" Merlin exclaimed hysterically. "I know but… I don't know what to do…"

"There has to be something…" Morgana pleaded.

Merlin paused, thinking hard. Maybe he could… but would he even know the solution? He heard people making their way to the arena, and he knew he was almost out of time.

"Morgana, could you talk to Arthur. Try and talk him out of this?"

"Do you know someone who can help?" Morgana asked hopefully.

"They may be Arthur's last hope," Merlin replied, turning and leaving Morgana to her thoughts.

* * *

><p>Morgana watched as Merlin ran off, frantically trying to figure out what she could say to convince Arthur that Vivian wasn't the woman he loved. She just wished she knew why Merlin couldn't break the spell. Sometimes it seemed as though fate wanted to push him to the limit; to see how far it could go before he cracked under the pressure. Merlin didn't deserve to have to do this on his own. Morgana swore she would help him, no matter what it took.<p>

* * *

><p>Evan was strolling through the corridors looking for Merlin when he spotted Gwen staring out the window, watching as everyone made their way to the arena.<p>

"Where is everyone going?" Gwen asked.

"Didn't you hear? Arthur is going to fight King Olaf for his love for Vivian," Evan informed her.

"What?" Gwen asked, eyes filled with pain and confusion.

"Gwen? What's wrong?" Evan asked, concern for his friend growing.

"I thought… the note and he said…" Gwen muttered to herself.

"What note? What are you talking about?" Evan asked, getting more and more worried.

Gwen looked up at him, and was about to answer when Morgana interrupted.

"Evan! Have you seen Arthur?" Evan turned to see Morgana hurrying towards him.

"No my lady," he replied. "Why?"

"I need to try and talk him out of this madness!" Morgana exclaimed.

"Declaring his love for Vivian?" Evan asked.

"He doesn't love her!" Morgana shouted. "You know he's under some sort of spell!"

"Why don't you tell the King? Maybe he and Olaf could…" Evan began, but Morgana cut him off.

"If Uther found out one of the kings enchanted his son we'd surely go to war… and Camelot would be destroyed…" Morgana trailed off, voice growing distant. She shook her head. "No, telling Uther would do more harm than good. We need to find a way to fix this ourselves."

"What do you think, Gwen? Gwen?" Evan turned around and Gwen was gone. "Where did she go?"

"I didn't see Gwen… Is something wrong?" Morgana asked.

"She was going to tell me something right before you showed up!" Evan explained.

"Evan, we don't have time to look for Gwen. We need to find Arthur!" Morgana exclaimed.

Evan sighed and followed Morgana, worry for his friend continuing to nag him.

* * *

><p>As Merlin searched for Gwen, he could hear the people gasping in horror. He knew what that meant; Arthur was losing. Under normal circumstances, Merlin knew that Olaf wouldn't actually kill Arthur, but these were far from ordinary circumstances. Merlin knew that at the first opportunity Olaf got he would kill Arthur and Uther would declare war in blind rage over his son's death. He had to stop this at all costs.<p>

If Merlin could find Gwen then it would be alright. Arthur would be able to win, no one would die, and there would be no war. True love's kiss. Merlin had almost laughed when he realized how easy it would be to break the spell, but he still had to find Gwen! Groaning when he found Morgana's chambers empty Merlin realized that Gwen was more than likely hiding in her home, waiting to hear what happened with Arthur and Vivian. Merlin flung the door to Gwen's house open, but rather than yell at him she just gave Merlin a sad look before looking out the window again.

"Gwen, Arthur needs your help!"

"I doubt he needs my help," Gwen sighed.

"Gwen, please listen to me!" Merlin begged. "Arthur is enchanted and…"

"With Lady Vivian, I can see," Gwen snapped, glaring daggers at him.

"No, I mean he's under a spell with magic and potions. None of his feelings for Vivian are real!" Merlin exclaimed.

"How can you know?" Gwen asked, looking heartbroken.

"You just have to trust me. Trust your heart…" Merlin said softly.

"I'm never doing that again!" Gwen whispered, voice breaking.

"Please Gwen, look inside your heart. You know who Arthur really loves…" Merlin pleaded.

"He loves Vivian," Gwen insisted.

"His feelings for her are not real, but his death will be unless you do something!" Merlin exclaimed, praying she'd listen to him.

Slowly, Gwen nodded her head and the pair hurried to the arena. Merlin just prayed they'd be in time.

Gaius stepped out of Arthur's tent and Gwen slipped inside wordlessly, leaving Merlin to wait impatiently for the pair to emerge. A few minutes later, Gwen hurried out shortly, followed by Arthur, who looked grim but determined. Arthur didn't say anything to Merlin, instead he went straight into the arena, sword in hand.

Arthur and Olaf fought viciously, but very quickly Arthur knocked Olaf off of his feet and pressed his sword right above Olafs heart. The arena was silent as they waited for Arthur to make the finishing blow, but instead he drew back.

"This is no way to make peace!" he declared, holding out his hand for Olaf. Vivian started clapping madly along with everyone. Everyone, that is, except King Alined.

* * *

><p>Later that evening there was a tentative knock on Merlin's door. "Come in!" he callee, confused. He frowned when Arthur walked in looking very dejected.<p>

"Arthur, is something wrong?" Merlin asked slowly.

"Evan told me you were pretty upset after I punched you… You always seem to get hurt when I get enchanted," Arthur mumbled, guilt laced through his words. His words were only further proved that the enchantment was really broken.

"Arthur, it's not your fault… Besides, I should be used to it by now," Merlin replied, shrugging slightly.

"You shouldn't have to get used to it," Arthur argued, sitting down next to him.

"It's not that simple," Merlin argued.

"Than what is it?" Arthur demanded.

"It's my destiny to protect you, Arthur," Merlin whispered. "No one ever said it would be easy…"

"Who keeps telling you this 'destiny' of yours?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin sighed. "Arthur, please just trust me," he begged.

"Is it the druids?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, I swear one day I will explain but… just… trust me. Now's not the right time," Merlin looked at Arthur tiredly.

"I trust you. But you don't deserve to have to do this alone."

"Arthur, its fine," Merlin assured.

"I still feel horrible about punching you," Arthur added, staring intently at the rapidly fading bruise on Merlin's cheek.

"I know you didn't mean it," Merlin assured.

Arthur wanted to argue but he knew he wouldn't get through to Merlin, so instead he just nodded his head dejectedly. _Why must you do this alone?_


	83. Chapter 83

**A/N**

**To any of my readers who are in the east coast you'll be in my prayers.**

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><p>Merlin abruptly sat up in bed, frowning. Something had woken him up, but as he cautiously peered around the room he couldn't figure out what. And then he felt it, or rather, heard it. <em>Walk down the corridor and turn left…<em> a familiar voice said. _Morgana's chambers are this way…_

Mordred.

Merlin jumped out of bed and threw on his boots before hurrying down to Morgana's chambers. He could no longer hear Mordred in his mind, but he was sure the boy was talking to Morgana.

Merlin loudly knocked on the door. "Morgana? I need to talk to you."

"Just a minute!" Morgana replied frantically, making Merlin frown. After a minute, Morgana partly opened the door. "Is something wrong Merlin?"

"I… I thought I heard someone talking, saying they were looking for your chambers and I wanted to make sure you where ok," Merlin reluctantly explained.

"No one's come in here," Morgana assured him hurriedly, worrying Merlin slightly.

"Morgana, if something wrong you can tell me," he said.

"I'm fine, Merlin, now can I get back to sleep?" Morgana snapped, making Merlin frown again.

"I'm sorry, I was just concerned," he snapped. "Goodnight." Merlin turned and left, stopping when Morgana called out.

"Wait, Merlin."

Merlin turned to see, Morgana shifting worriedly. "Merlin, I'm sorry I just…"

Seeing Morgana wasn't going to continue, Merlin prompted, "Is everything alright?"

Morgana studied Merlin for a minute before nodding to herself, looking determined.

"I promise that if something happens I will tell you, alright?"

Merlin didn't really believe her but nodded his head anyways. "I'm sorry to have woken you up," he apologized.

"Don't worry, I was awake anyway," Morgana assured gently.

"Nightmares?" Merlin asked offhandedly.

" Yes…" Morgana replied uncertainly, closing the door.

Sighing, Merlin turned and walked away, contemplating what he should do next. Groaning, he realized he needed to tell Arthur what was happening with Morgana. He just hoped he could make Arthur believe him.

* * *

><p>"You better have a good reason for waking me up," Arthur snapped as he let Merlin in.<p>

"You remember the druid boy you saved? Mordred?" Merlin asked.

"Vaguely," Arthur grumbled. "Why?"

"I heard him in my mind, telling someone how to get to Morgana's chambers-" Merlin began but Arthur cut him off.

"He's going after Morgana?" Arthur shouted. "We need to sound the alarm and-"

"Morgana is hiding them," Merlin sighed. "I tried talking to her but she's covering for him!"

"What are they planning?"

"I don't know," Merlin admitted.

"What are we supposed to do about it," Arthur groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"I don't know!" Merlin snapped. "Why did I even try talking to you? I need help, not scolding!"

Sighing, Arthur grabbed Merlin's arm. "No, don't… I'm sorry… I don't like being woken up…"

"I don't know what Morgana's going to do, I don't even have any clue as to what to do to try and stop whatever it is… I need help…"

Arthur firmly grabbed Merlin's shoulders and said, "Merlin I will help in every way that I can, now tell me what I can do to help."

Merlin smiled gratefully. "Can you just help me keep an eye on Morgana? Tell me if you see anything suspicious."

"Okay," Arthur agreed. "Don't worry. It'll be fine; I know even if Morgana is planning something bad, we can convince her not to. We're her friends. She will listen to us."

* * *

><p>The next morning, Merlin reluctantly told Gaius everything that had happened the night before.<p>

After a minute of silence Gaius said, "I agree, Merlin. Morgana is up to something, but with no proof you can't do anything."

"I know," he sighed.

* * *

><p>Nothing seemed to happen, making Merlin wonder if he'd imagined hearing Mordred the night before, but one look at Morgana's tense shoulders during lunch shoved all question out of his mind. Merlin furiously paced his chambers; trying to think about what Mordred and Morgana could possibly be planning.<p>

"Is everything alright?" Evan asked, noticing how tense he was.

"Fine, just peachy," Merlin snapped, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"What happened?" Evan asked gently, trying not to sound hurt.

Something had changed with Merlin, and Evan really didn't like where it seemed to be going.

Merlin sighed, noticing Evan's hurt expression. "Something is going to happen soon," he explained. "Something bad, and I have no idea what it is, or what I can do to get anyone to listen to me."

"What about Arthur?" Evan suggested.

"I've already talked to him; there isn't much he can do either," Merlin sighed.

"Can you tell the King?" Evan asked.

Merlin laughed humorously. "He definitely won't listen."

"Why do you feel like you have to do this alone?" Evan asked, surprising Merlin. Merlin was about to answer when the warning bells went off and Arthur burst.

"Merlin! Someone's broken into the vaults!"

* * *

><p>Morgana slowly made her way through the castle vaults, heart pounding madly in her chest. She knew that if Merlin ever found out what she was doing he'd be disappointed in her, but this was something she just had to do. She couldn't just sit by and watch innocent people die at Uthers hands. If he ever found out that his wards had magic they'd both be as good as dead. Merlin kept saying that once Arthur was king things would be different, but if she could give Alvarr the crystal, that day could be now. Arthur would be king and they would be free. Mordred wouldn't have to hide anymore.<p>

Morgana spotted the crystal and went to pick it up, but froze with her hand outstretched.

Did she really want to help kill Uther? The man who'd treated her like a daughter, who genuinely loved and cared about her? Could she stand the look of utter disappointment that Merlin would give her when he discovered what she had done? She thought about Merlin's assurances about Arthurs destiny, how he would unite Albion and bring peace. They just needed to be patient. It would happen one day. She than remembered what Alvarr said about freeing Camelot from Uther's tyranny and lies. They wouldn't need to wait, but then she thought about how Merlin told her they needed to give Uther a chance, how he was bitter. Then thought of the man who'd saved her, how he felt Uther should be pitied.

Morgana's face darkened when she thought once more about the people who'd burned because of him. In her mind's eye feeling the fire was burning her. she could hear Merlin's screams of pain as he burned with her… Determined, Morgana picked up the crystal and fled the city towards the woods where she would meet Alvarr. It was time to take matters into her own hands.


	84. Chapter 84

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay, this chapter was really hard!**

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><p>"Do you know what's been stolen?" Merlin asked as they ran through the castle.<p>

"Some crystal thing," Arthur replied. "It must be important, though. I've never seen my father so panicked about something before."

Merlin nodded his head as they made their way down to the vaults where Gaius and Uther were waiting.

Once Gaius spotted them, he informed them, "The Crystal of Neahtid has been stolen."

"We must get it back!" Utuer broke in. "Arthur, gather your best knights and go after the perpetrator!" he ordered, glaring at Arthur.

"Why is it so important?" Arthur asked.

"What does it do?" Merlin added.

"I'm not sure," Uther admitted. "But many sorcerers died trying to protect it, so it must be very powerful. We must get it back!" Uther angrily strode out of the room.

Once Uther was gone, Merlin turned to Gaius. "Do you know anything about it?"

"No, unfortunately I don't," Gaius replied, sighing. "But I do know someone who might know more…" he informed them, looking pointedly at Merlin, who paled slightly at the thought.

"Merlin? Is something wrong?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"I think Morgana was the one who stole the crystal," Merlin said, ignoring Arthur's question.

"Merlin-"

"I don't know what she plans to do with it but it can't be good," Merlin continued, cutting Arthur off.

"Merlin I can-" Arthur began again, only to be cut off once more,

"No, Arthur, I have to do this alone," Merlin said sternly before turning and leaving just as quickly as Uther had.

"No, you don't," Arthur whispered, before leaving to gather his knights, knowing Merlin would want to come along to help.

* * *

><p>As Arthur went to do as his father's bidding, he couldn't help but wonder what was making Morgana go and betray Camelot. Didn't she know that she had friends? Did she understand that Arthur didn't care that she had magic? She knew that Arthur knew about Merlin's magic, so what could possibly make her think he'd look at her magic differently? Why were they so quick to dismiss him?<p>

Why did they seem to think that he couldn't help them? He'd helped them before, when they were younger, why not now? Arthur understood that the problems that they were facing were a lot bigger now, but he still cared about them.

An hour later, Arthur's men were ready and Arthur was about to get onto his horse when Merlin appeared with his horse in tow.

"Let me guess," Arthur sighed, "you're coming with us. What did you say to Uther to convince him to let you come?"

"I didn't say anything." Merlin admitted. "Gaius told him I was sick and I snuck out."

"Merlin, isn't it risky sneaking out so much? What happens when Uther catches you?" Arthur demanded.

"He's not going to catch me," Merlin assured, jumping onto his horse.

"What if he does?" Arthur insisted.

"Arthur, it's fine," Merlin assured.

"Merlin, he didn't hesitate to have you whipped before. What will he do when he finds out you've snuck out?" Arthur demanded, fear for his friend filling him.

"I am not letting you go after sorcerers by yourself," Merlin replied determinedly, glaring at Arthur.

Sighing, Arthur jumped onto his horse, rapidly starting to hate the stupid destiny that seemed to be tearing his best friend apart. He urged his horse on through the city, Merlin right beside him. The ride was oddly silent, Merlin not in the mood to talk, and the others too tense to say anything leaving Arthur alone with his thoughts.

Why was Morgana doing this? He understood that Morgana was scared of Uther; if Arthur was in her position he'd be just as afraid as she was, but why did she have to resort to this? What good would handing Camelot over to sorcerer bent on its destruction do? Arthur shook the thoughts out of his head when he noticed the rising smoke. He signaled for his men to stop and dismounted, pulling out his sword as he did so.

Arthur could immediately tell something was wrong; there was no one in the camp, but there were signs that people had been here very recently. Just as Arthur realized this, the druids shot out of their hiding places and attacked. Chaos erupted around Arthur as he fought multiple druids while trying to keep an eye on Merlin. In the mist of the fighting, Arthur caught sight of Mordred running into the woods. Though he knew his father would be furious that he let a druid go, Arthur didn't go after him. He as just a boy; he deserved a chance to live.

Just as quickly as the battle had started, it was over. A pair of guards dragged a man that Arthur assumed to be the leader over to him and flung him onto the ground.

"We caught him trying to flee with this," the guard told Arthur, handing him a small bag. Arthur opened it to reveal a crystal, which he assumed was The Crystal of Neahtid.

"What should we do with him?" the other guard asked.

"We'll bring him back to Camelot for trial," Arthur calmly replied, putting the crystal back into the bag. "I'll hold onto this."

The guards nodded their heads, tied up the sorcerer and headed back the way they came. Merlin slowly walked over to Arthur.

"Merlin, what happened? Are you alright?" Arthur asked.

"They knew we were coming…" Merlin muttered.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"They were ready for us, Arthur," Merlin clarified.

Arthur realized where Merlin was going with that statement and asked, "You think Morgana told them we were coming?"

"I'm almost positive," Merlin confirmed.

"What can we do about it, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know…" Merlin admitted brokenly. "I should hold onto the crystal though."

"Why you?" Arthur asked.

"It's a powerful magical artifact," Merlin calmly explained. "Sorcerers died to protect it. I think its best that someone powerful enough to defend themselves from magical attacks should hold onto it."

"Merlin, I was going to stay up keeping an eye on it," Arthur gently explained.

"Well now I'm taking over that job," Merlin replied, holding out his hand to take the crystal.

"You're going to stay up all night watching this?" Arthur asked skeptically, holding onto the crystal.

"If that's what it takes," Merlin agreed, nodding his head firmly. Sighing, Arthur reluctantly handed the bag to Merlin, knowing that this would be a long trip back to Camelot.

* * *

><p>That night, Merlin sat by the fire, staring at the bag holding the crystal. The moment Arthur had handed the bag to him, he'd felt the crystal calling him, begging him to look into its depths. Gaius had warned Merlin of the dangers of looking into the crystal, so he stubbornly refused to listen to its calls. But as the night wore on, the crystal continued to call to him, the calls getting more and more intense, wearing on his resolve.<p>

When it got the point where Merlin couldn't even think he picked up the bag, ignoring the voice in his head screaming at him not to do it, and opened it. He held the crystal in his hand; the calling stopped and the crystal turned misty for a moment before showing him an image of the dragon laying waste to the city; burning it, destroying it; then an image of himself crying flashed before his eyes before the crystal returned to normal. Stunned, Merlin let the crystal fall to the ground, than he remember the promise he'd made to the dragon to release him.

"What have I done?" Merlin asked helplessly.


	85. Chapter 85

**A/N**

**So this chapter was pretty difficult for me but here it is finally. I should post another chapter of Vengeance later today or tommorow for those of you who are reading this. Enjoy!**

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><p>When Arthur woke up the next morning, he was surprised when he saw Merlin staring at the crystal that lay on the ground where he had dropped it the night before.<p>

"Merlin? Are you ok?" Arthur asked.

Arthur's words snapped Merlin out of whatever trance he had been in, and he quickly assured Arthur, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Arthur glanced down at the crystal. "Alright, I'll hold onto the crystal for now. You should hurry back to Camelot before Uther realizes you're gone."

Merlin stiffly nodded his head and Arthur noted that he didn't touch the crystal; instead he took the bag and used it to scoop the crystal up before handing it to Arthur.

"Merlin, are you sure everything's alright?" Arthur asked, worry for his friend prominent in his voice.

Merlin eyed Arthur wearily. "Yes… but soon it won't be," he said softly.

Before Arthur could ask what he meant, Merlin jumped on his horse and rode off, leaving behind a concerned Arthur.

* * *

><p>On any other day, the pride that shone in Uther's eyes when Arthur returned the crystal would have sent his heart soaring, but worry for his friend pushed those feelings aside. Noticing how distracted his son, was Uther asked, "Arthur, is something wrong?"<p>

Arthur scrambled to find an answer. "I heard that Merlin is very ill. I'm just worried about him."

A strange expression flashed across Uther face. "We all are."

Arthur frowned as Uther left, the crystal clutched tightly in his gloved hand. He couldn't help but wonder if Uther knew more than he let on.

* * *

><p>Merlin knew that Arthur deserved more of an explanation than what he had given, but he was terrified of what Arthur would think when he told him that he may cause Camelot's destruction. Merlin shuddered when he thought about the dragon and the promise he'd made. He knew that he had promised to free the dragon, but how could he when he knew what the dragon would do to Camelot once he got out.<p>

Merlin couldn't help but be angry at Uther. Why did he lock up the dragon in the first place? Had the dragon attacked someone before but Uther, unable or unwilling to kill the last dragon, decided to lock it up instead? Or was this another sick way Uther twisted things to the way he wanted. Merlin had no clue. All he knew was that because of what Uther had done, he and all of Camelot would have to deal with the consequences. Merlin was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see Morgana until he'd run into her.

"I'm so sorry I didn't see- Merlin! Are you feeling better?"

Merlin stared at Morgana for a minute, seeing the genuine concern for him in her expression. If she really cared about them, then why did she try and condemn Camelot?

"I'm not feeling great, but I'm getting there," Merlin said. It wasn't the full truth but it wasn't an outright lie either.

"That's good," Morgana replied, a genuine smile on her face.

He wanted to call Morgana out, to demand to know why she would steal the crystal to help someone who wanted to destroy Camelot, but held back. Now was not the right time for that.

"I should probably get going," Merlin informed her. "Gaius wanted to see me."

Morgana nodded her head as Merlin turned and continued down the hallway. When he rounded the corner, Morgana let her smile fade and looked at the spot Merlin had stood in concern. Something in Merlin's eyes had told her that he knew what she'd done, but had no idea what to say to her. She knew that she should say something to _him,_ but she had no idea what. She knew that Merlin was disappointed in her, and she knew that he deserved to know why she was doing this. She was a coward, though; she couldn't bring herself to face him, instead she would pretend that nothing had happened and hope that he forget this whole thing. It was extremely unlikely, but it was better than seeing the disappointment in his eyes when she tried to tell him the truth.

Morgana's face darkened when she thought about Uther, the great hypocrite. She did this to stop him; to save them both from his wrath. Morgana sighed and slipped into her chambers, uncertain as to what she should do anymore.

* * *

><p>Merlin sat in his usual spot on the window sill thinking hard. He knew that he needed to talk to Morgana; knew that he was putting everyone in Camelot in danger by ignoring this, but he didn't know what he would say to her. The dragon's warnings of Morgana's fate flashed through Merlin's mind again, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was any way of saving her from the darkness the dragon spoke of. Could he really trust what the dragon told him, though? Especially after the vision the crystal had given him. Who could he believe?<p>

Merlin felt a hand on his shoulder. "Merlin? Are you alright?"

Evan.

Merlin sighed tiredly. "It's been a long day," he replied. Evan was a good friend; he had always been there for Merlin, especially when Merlin was younger: when he still got sick regularly. Evan would always stay with him all day and would do just about anything to make him feel better. He deserved to know everything, especially about his magic. Merlin desperately wanted to tell Evan about his magic, but something held him back. What if he reacted badly? What if he turned on him and told Uther? A part of Merlin knew that Evan wouldn't do that, but there was another part of him that was terrified of being rejected.

"Evan?" Merlin asked uncertainly.

"Yes?" Evan asked looking down at Merlin.

Merlin eyed Evan carefully before reluctantly asking. "Is there anything that I could do, anything at all, that would make you hate me?"

Evan immediately assured him, "No, my Lord."

"Even if what I was doing was against the law?" Merlin asked desperately, making Evan pause for a minute.

"I would never hate you. I helped you rescue the druid boy, remember?" Evan began. "I think… I know I could hate what you were doing but never _you_. What's going on?"

Now was the time, it was the perfect opportunity to tell him everything and to pour out all of his uncertainties.

"I'm just worried about Arthur," Merlin lied. _That's the most pathetic excuse you've ever come up with…_

"Are you sure?" Evan asked.

Merlin wanted to curse Evan's perceptiveness, but couldn't. He looked up at Evan sadly before mumbling,

"Yes…" Evan sighed and looked hurt before giving Merlin's shoulder a squeeze.

"You can tell me anything, Merlin," Evan assured before slipping out with the laundry.

Merlin's head fell back against the wall as he fought back tears. He was sick of the lies, sick of the burden he was forced to carry, just sick of it all. He needed to talk to Morgana; he couldn't survive the uncertainty anymore. Merlin hurried over to the door and flung it open, only to come face to face with Morgana who had her fist poised to knock on the door.

"Morgana!" Merlin exclaimed. "What are you doing here."

"I just, um… wanted to… talk to you…" Morgana stammered, looking terrified. "Can I come in?"

Merlin nodded his head and stepped aside. Morgana quickly slipped inside the room and Merlin closed the door behind her.

"What did you want to talk about?" Merlin asked.

Morgana turned to Merlin with a guilty look in her eyes. _Maybe he didn't have to say anything, _Merlin desperately thought. _Maybe she'll admit everything on her own_.

"I…" Morgana began uncertainly, "I've… I've been having nightmares recently…" Morgana refused to meet Merlin's gaze when she said this, and Merlin hoped that his disappointment didn't show in his eyes when.

"Maybe we could both stay up and practice some magic," Merlin gently suggested.

"No," Morgana said, locking eyes with Merlin. "I won't ever use magic again. You almost died because of my stupidity."

Merlin could see the truth and regret in her eyes. She really blamed herself. She genuinely cared about him. Merlin still couldn't figure out why she was willing to betray Camelot if she cared about them. It just didn't make any sense.

"Maybe Gaius can give you a sleeping draught," Merlin suggested, trying to keep the disappointment from showing.

Something lit up in Morgana's eyes when she agreed. "That's a brilliant idea Merlin. I'll go talk to him." Morgana quickly fled Merlin's chambers before he had a chance to say anything.

* * *

><p>The next morning, when Arthur informed Uther that Alvarr escaped, Uther snarled, "If I ever find out who did this, they will rue the very day they were born." He glared at Morgana, who smirked coldly at him, confirming Merlin's worst fears. Still, there was a part of Merlin that wasn't surprised by this, and it scared him more than he wanted to admit to anyone.<p>

Later that night, Merlin tried to tune out the Dragon's furious words. _You said you would release me! Now fulfill that promise and SET ME FREE! _Merlin knew that he had promised the dragon, but how could he when he knew what the dragon would do? But how could he in good conscious break his promise? _Merlin? MERLIN!_


	86. Chapter 86

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay guys, these past few weeks have been… rough. Long story short, everything has been going wrong and right now if my family and I came home and found our house had blown up we wouldn't be surprised. It's been that bad. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

><p>Arthur wasn't surprised when he saw Merlin walking over to him, horse following behind him. Arthur didn't like Merlin throwing himself into danger, but he understood why he wanted to come. Uther was sending Arthur to Idirsholas to see what was going on. Earlier that day a farmer arrived in Camelot claiming he'd seen smoke rising from the castle and Gaius had told them how the knights of Medhir would ride again if the fire of Idirsholas burned. If the stories where true, the knights of Medhir were fierce warriors that could not be defeated. Arthur hoped that that was just a story, but somehow he doubted that it. Nothing ever seemed to be easy in Camelot.<p>

"So, what did you say to Uther to convince him to let you leave the castle?"

"I can't go with you," Merlin whispered hurriedly, looking worried.

"What?" Arthur hissed, fear filling him. If this was a magical threat, Arthur wanted someone magical to help deal with it.

"Uther has guards following me everywhere," Merlin hurriedly explained. "I tried asking him about it, he said something about rumors of an assassin in Camelot or something. I could tell he was lying."

"You think he knows about your magic?" Arthur whispered, carefully looking around to see if anyone within earshot would tell Uther.

"At best he just knows I've been sneaking off to help you for some reason," Merlin muttered. "Gaius says Uther doesn't know but… I'm not sure. I can try sneaking out later tonight-"

"No," Arthur cut in, "you need to lay low until Uther calms down."

"We don't have time for me to 'lay low'" Merlin hissed. "This threat is here _now_."

"If Uther catches you sneaking out things will be a lot worse for you," Arthur countered.

"It's a risk I have to take," Merlin argued.

"But Camelot will be in danger if Uther kills-" Arthur froze, unable to finish the thought, but Merlin understood.

"What do we do?" Merlin hissed.

"Try and lay low, act normal. If you get a chance to get away without getting caught then do it, but if you can't don't risk it."

"How will I find you?" Merlin asked.

"If you ride hard to the North you should be able to find us easily. Good luck," Arthur whispered.

"Stay safe."

Arthur clasped Merlin's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He dropped his arm and said loudly:

"Don't have too much fun without me."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Merlin promised.

Unbeknownst to the pair, Morgana watched the exchange from her window, uncertainty filling her.

Morgause had asked to meet her that afternoon in the forest, but something was holding Morgana back. Something about what Morgause was doing felt wrong. As much as Morgana hated Uther, she didn't like the thought of potentially destroying all of Camelot. Morgause was her sister, though. She was the only one who was completely honest with her. Morgana then thought about Merlin; he told her everything, despite what Gaius had told him. He wanted to help her and how did she repay that trust and loyalty? By turning her back on Camelot.

Merlin always spoke of his and Arthur's destiny to unite all of Albion and how they would bring about a new era of peace and prosperity. How could she know that they would be able to do that before Merlin and herself where killed? _I'll hear what Morgause has to say,_ Morgana decided. _I won't let her do anything to harm innocent people. Uther will pay._

Later that afternoon, Merlin quickly made his way to the throne room. Merlin knew that this was risky, but if he wanted to catch Arthur he needed to leave quickly. If he could convince Uther that he needed to collect herbs for Gaius he could leave Camelot and go after Arthur with Uther none the wiser. Taking a deep breath, Merlin walked into the throne room.

"Merlin," Uther greeted. "What is it?"

"Gaius needs a rare herb that is a day's ride away and none of the other servants-" Merlin began, but Uther quickly cut him off.

"Merlin, I know what this is about."

"You do?" Merlin asked, body stiffening. _He can't know about my magic,_ Merlin thought desperately. _I've been so careful…_

"You want to go on a date with that servant girl…. Gwen," Uther teased, grinning. Merlin stared at Uther before remembering how Arthur told Uther Merlin was in love with Gwen when she was blamed for causing the plague and Merlin tried to take the blame for himself, "I know you have strong feelings for her, but I can't let you go. She is a servant; you are the king's ward. It's not proper. You will get over her if you spend some time away from her."

"But-" Merlin protested but Uther wouldn't hear it.

"Merlin, that is my final word. Now go."

Merlin glared at Uther before turning on his heel and storming out, followed quickly by the guard Uther had assigned to follow him. Merlin was surprised when the guard didn't follow him into his chambers but looking out the window immediately explained why. A pair of guards stood beneath Merlin's window and another pair stood a ways off watching the window intently. Uther had apparently learned from when Arthur had escaped that way.

Merlin wanted to scream in frustration. Nothing ever went smoothly for him. He was always having to sneak around, lie, and trick people to protect those same people he lied to. He felt disgusted with himself every time. As much as he hated the lying, though, he couldn't leave Arthur to fight the magical threats alone. Arthur was his best friend, and he would never do anything to hurt him. He would willingly sacrifice everything to protect Arthur.

Feeling conflicted, Merlin looked out the window towards the forest and mumbled, "Please be safe, Arthur."

六

Late that night, Morgana slipped through the woods, carefully scanning the dark for any patrolling knights.

"Hello," Morgause greeted, startling her, "you look well."

Morgana smiled and agreed. "Because of this." Morgana pulled up her sleeve to reveal the bracelet Morgause had given her. "I wear it all the time. I can't remember the last time I had a nightmare."

"Why do you still look troubled?" Morgause asked. Morgana wondered why Morgause was so interested, but realized that she actually cared about her, unlike so many of her 'friends.'

"I'm tired of hiding," Morgana admitted, "tired of pretending to be Uther's loving ward when I hate him."

"Have you ever dreamed of a world where Uther was no more?" Morgause asked, making Morgana pause. Isn't that what she wanted? To see Uther's reign end?

"Sometimes," Morgana admitted, not sure if she liked where Morgause was going with this. She'd never threatened innocent people though, just Uther.

"Is that what you'd like?" Morgause asked.

Morgana felt like this was some sort of test, a test where she wasn't sure what would happen if she passed or failed. "I had a chance to assassinate him," she admitted.

"What stopped you?" Morgause gently asked.

"I don't know," Morgana admitted. "I thought he cared about me. But I know that's not true. He cares for no one."

"So you want Uther destroyed and for his reign to end?" Morgause asked again.

"More than anything," Morgana admitted. "But it doesn't matter what I want. The future is not of my making."

"You are wrong Morgana," Morgause corrected. "You underestimate your importance. The decisions you make now will change the shape of everything that is to come."

"What do you mean?" Morgana asked uncertainly.

"Whose side are you on?" Morgause asked, looking straight at Morgana. "Uthers or mine? Are you prepared to help bring about Uther's downfall?"

That was the problem. Morgana wanted Uthers reign to end so Arthur could rule. If Arthur were king she and Merlin would both be free. Did being on Morgause's side put her against Merlin and Arthur? She wasn't sure. Merlin seemed to think killing Uther wasn't the answer. What if they waited too long and Uther discovered them and had them killed? Maybe it was time she went with her instinct's and her instincts told her it was time to finish Uther, even if it meant going against Merlin.

"I am," Morgana replied confidently. _I'm doing this for the both of us, he'll understand…_

"You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that." Morgause whispered, looking pleased. Before Morgana could question her further, her eyes flashed gold and Morgana's world went black.


	87. Chapter 87

**A/N**

**Sorry about the delay guys. After the Merlin season finale I had trouble writing. But after lots of great rants with some awesome Authors I felt a lot better. Also, my beta kindly informed me that this story was the 8th most reviewed Merlin story! I confirmed this and found it to be true. I****'****m overwhelmed, thank you guys so much for making that possible! All those amazing reviews are what inspire me to write. Never thought I****'****d ever write such a popular story. HUGE shout out to my beta Hatstand who somehow balances betaing along with sports and school and puts up with some of the ridiculous mistakes I send her. **

Something about the castle sent shivers up Arthur's spine. Everything about it made him want to turn, run away and never look back. Princes didn't run away, though, they ran in head on. The King ordered him to do this, so he would go through with it.

Arthur jumped down off of his horse and entered the crumbling castle followed closely by his men. As his men fanned out to check the room, Arthur inspected the fire pit that appeared to have been recently used.

"It seems part of Jason's story was correct," Arthur told his men. "Probably just passing travelers."

"I don't think so," James corrected.

Arthur whipped around and found seven knights standing in front of the only exit. He watched as the knights whipped out their swords, he and his men quickly doing the same as the strange knights charged at Arthur and his men.

One of the knights swung at Arthur, who was only barely able to block the blow and shove the knight away before he, or it, swung at him again. Arthur deflected the blow before swinging at the knight, but the knight was quicker than he had realized. The knight easily recovered and blocked the blow, shoving Arthur back before swinging again. Arthur once again deflected the blow and forced the knight back before thrusting the sword into the knight's chest.

Arthur enjoyed a moment of victory when the knight slumped over, only to gasp in horror when the knight lifted its head, snarling. He ripped the sword out of its chest, dully noting that there was no blood, and continued to fight the knight off. Arthur quickly glanced around and found to his horror that all of his knights except James were dead. Arthur stabbed the knight he was fighting again, only for his sword to get stuck. Another one of the knights walked over to him, sword raised.

Arthur frantically tried to tug the sword out of the knight's chest, but had to dive out of the approaching knight's reach when he swung down at Arthur, only to be easily knocked to the ground by the knight that still had Arthur's sword in its chest. James, seeing that Arthur was in trouble kicked the knight he was battling out of the way and ran to Arthur's aide, blocking the sword before it hit its mark.

"Sire! Run! Get back to Camelot and warn the King!"

"I will not leave you here!" Arthur snapped, not moving from his spot on the ground.

"You must!" James pleaded while pushing the knights away from the pair. "Sire, I beg you: go while you still can. Camelot needs you much more than it needs me."

James's words made Arthur sick. If he weren't the prince people wouldn't make any sort of sacrifice for him. His life would be meaningless.

One of the knights swung its fists at James, who dove out of the way. Instead of hitting flesh the knight's fist slammed into the unstable wall. The hit quickly proved to be fatal for the wall. Immediately, a large crack spread across the wall and rocks started tumbling from the ceiling. James grabbed Arthur and shoved him through the threshold and to safety just before the ceiling crumbled on him and the knights. Horrified, Arthur stumbled out of the castle and into the open field.

Arthur glared and the innocent looking castle, the place that took the lives of some of his best men. James gave up his life so Arthur could escape. If Arthur had been an ordinary knight he would have died with James and the rest of his men. If Merlin had been there they might have all been able to live. Anger towards Uther filled him; if Uther hadn't been so closed minded, so many people's lives might not have been lost. Arthur pushed the anger aside; he needed to get back to Camelot to warn everyone.

He didn't care what Merlin or his father thought about it. From now on he was taking Merlin _everywhere_ with him.

九

As Merlin tiredly made his way to Gaius's chambers, he couldn't help but notice how exhausted everyone was. When Evan had come to wake Merlin up, he looked ill as he shuffled around the room yawning. Merlin pushed the door to Gaius's chambers open and found a tired looking Gaius shuffling around the room trying to make a potion.

"Gaius? What's going on? Why is everyone so tired?" Merlin asked, looking worried.

"I wish I knew," Gaius sighed, stifling a yawn. "I can't get any work done."

"Do you think it has to do with magic?" Merlin whispered, looking around the room warily for any unwanted visitors.

"Whatever this is, it's not natural," Gaius agreed.

A part of Merlin told him he'd need to talk to the dragon to figure out what was going on, but a stubborn part of him wanted to do everything he could to _not_ talk to the beast. Instead, Merlin decided he needed to talk to Morgana and see if he could figure out anything from her.

When Merlin walked into Morgana's chambers though, he found Morgana frantically trying to rouse Gwen, who was on the floor, unconscious.

"What happened?" Merlin asked, kneeling down next to Gwen.

"I don't know! One minute she was working, the next she was on the floor. I can't wake her up." Morgana glanced up at Merlin for a moment before looking down at Gwen, fear written plainly across her face.

"You're not feeling tired?" Merlin asked fighting back a yawn.

"No," Morgana admitted. "I thought my magic was protecting me but…" She trailed off, eyeing Merlin warily as the sleeping spell started taking its toll on him.

"Have you seen anything strange the past few days?" Merlin asked.

"No," Morgana admitted. Merlin locked eyes with her. He could tell she was telling the truth, but something also told him she had something to do with this.

"Gaius has so idea what's going on," Merlin informed her wearily.

"What will we do?" Morgana asked, looking scared.

Merlin knew he needed to go to the dragon, but the part of him that didn't trust the dragon really didn't want to go.

"I hope Arthur gets back soon," was all Merlin could say.

十

Arthur knew something was wrong as he rode through the lower town. No one roamed the streets, not even the guards. Closer to the castle he found people lying in the streets, asleep. Arthur had tried vainly to wake them up, but found that nothing he did caused them to even stir.

He ran into the castle and found the people in the castle in a similar state. Servants and knights were passed out in the corridors. Unsure as to what to do, Arthur hurried to Merlin's chambers, hoping that the young warlock hadn't been affected by whatever was causing everyone to sleep.

As Arthur wove through the throngs of sleeping people he couldn't suppress the shiver that ran up his spine. He stumbled slightly, having to lean against the wall to fight the wave of dizziness that suddenly overtook him.

"Arthur?" an exhausted Merlin asked.

Arthur looked up and found Merlin stumbling over the people lying on the floor to reach him. Arthur managed to catch him when he stumbled over one of the servants and held him up.

"Merlin, you've got to stay awake! The knights are riding for Camelot!" Arthur shouted, shaking Merlin, who was rapidly succumbing to the spell that seemed to be affecting everyone in Camelot.

"Dragon…" Merlin slurred. "Find…. Dragon…"

"Dragon?" Arthur asked. "What dragon?"

"Beneath the castle…" Merlin sleepily explained, "One I've been…. talkin'- to…"

"You've been talking to a dragon?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"Called me…" Merlin weakly explained. "He says… Morgana… causing everyone to… sleep…"

"Morgana?" Arthur asked incredulously.

Merlin nodded his head and continued, "Someone… using her to fuel… spell… dragon says… kill Morgana but… I don't… there has to be another way…"

"The dragon says the only way to break the spell is to kill Morgana?" Arthur asked, horrified.

"You have to… find another way…she… needs you," Merlin pleaded, eyes growing heavier by the second. "Camelot… relying… on… you…" Merlin's eyes slipped completely shut and didn't reopen.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked frantically. "Merlin? _Merlin, wake up!_" But it was useless. Arthur was so focused on trying to wake Merlin up that he didn't see a guilt ridden Morgana slip away.


	88. Chapter 88

**A/N**

**I can't even begin to thank my beta Hatstand for all the help she gives with this story. And of course a big thanks to everyone who has ever reviewed. You guys are what keep me writing!**

For several minutes Arthur stood there, clutching Merlin tightly, willing him to wake up so he could help figure out what to do. He couldn't kill Morgana! Even if there was another way to break the spell, how was he supposed to figure it out? Eventually, Arthur realized that standing there would do nothing, so he shifted his hold on Merlin and placed his other arm under Merlin's knees, easily picking up the smaller man.

Arthur pushed the door to Merlin's chambers open and set him down on the bed. He glanced around the room, spotting Evan lying on the floor, Merlin's lunch scattered across the floor before him. Everyone in Camelot, except for Morgana, apparently, was under some sort of spell. Arthur sighed and decided he might as well try and see if Gaius was still awake, knowing it was futile but unsure of what else he could do.

As Arthur made his way through the castle, he pushed the feeling of weariness that settled over him and pushed on. He couldn't succumb to the spell; he had to stay strong. Arthur pushed the door to Gaius's chambers open and found him fast asleep, his head on his table, obviously halted in the middle of something. Arthur groaned and leaned heavily against the doorframe, starting when something caught his eye. He slowly walked over to the shelf and picked up a bottle with a skull and crossbones on it: poison.

Arthur stared at the bottle, feeling conflicted. The mysterious dragon claimed that he had to kill Morgana, but Merlin obviously felt that there was some other way. Arthur knew though that he was rapidly running out of time; already he could feel the spell starting to affect him. Could he kill the girl he'd grown up with? The girl who become more than a friend, more a sister? Could he kill _anyone_ in cold blood like this? What should he do?

"Arthur?" Morgana shouted, snapping Arthur out of his thoughts. He shoved the bottle in his pouch and turned towards the door. Morgana stepped inside the physician's chambers, trying to act like nothing was wrong. She'd seen Arthur pick up the bottle; saw the look of agony on his face as he studied it. He was just as confused as she was.

"Morgana, what's happened?" Arthur asked.

Morgana knew that he knew the answer, but she decided to play along, for his sake.

"Everyone just started falling asleep. I came looking for you when I saw your horse outside."

"How are you still awake?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know," Morgana replied honestly. Merlin's hasty explanation made little sense to Morgana. Why would Morgause curse her? Morgana shook her head. Now was not the time to question Merlin, now was the time to figure out what was going on.

"What do we do?" Morgana asked.

Arthur frowned and peered out of Gaius's window, eyes widening. "Not get caught," he somberly informed Morgana.

"By who?" Morgana asked, looking out the window, frowning when she saw the knights.

"They can't be killed," Arthur explained. "I almost didn't escape Idirsholas with my life."

"What do we do then?" Morgana demanded, getting more and more frightened by the minute.

"We need to find my father and get out of Camelot," Arthur decided, hoping, praying, that the spell wouldn't affect him outside Camelot.

They quickly left the physicians chambers, Arthur growing weary when he realized the knights were no longer in the courtyard.

"We have to hurry. If we get caught-" Arthur began, freezing when a pair of the knights appeared in front of him. One of the knights swung at Arthur who was only just able to block the blow. The other knights stepped around the fighting pair to go after Morgana.

"Morgana, run!" Arthur shouted. Before she could take more than a couple of steps, though, the knight knocked her over and raised its sword to deal the finishing blow. Morgana screamed as the sword came down and the knight froze. Arthur desperately wanted to know what was happening, but the other knight was persistent and he could only just block all of its heavy blows. Arthur managed to catch a glimpse of the knight turning away from Morgana, who was unharmed. Arthur didn't have much time to contemplate this before the knight came charging at him.

Without thinking about it, Morgana grabbed one of the sleeping knights swords and swung at the pair of knights attacking Arthur. "Run!"

Arthur and Morgana ran to the throne room, quickly shutting it and blocking the door with everything they could find. Arthur leaned heavily against the door, fighting to keep his eyes open. His eye lids felt like lead and he wanted to just give in and sleep. Maybe he could close his eyes for just a minute… Arthur jolted when Morgana slapped his face.

"Stay awake, Arthur," Morgana ordered sternly

Arthur blinked and shook his head. "Thanks Morgana…Father." Arthur stumbled over to the throne where Uther was sleeping. "We need to get him out of Camelot," Arthur informed Morgana.

"How?" Morgana demanded. "I can't carry him and you're barely able to stand on your feet!"

"I'll think of something…" Arthur tiredly assured her. Morgana knew though that he wouldn't be able to think of something before he too succumbed to the spell.

"Arthur… we both know what you need to do," Morgana whispered.

"I don't…" Arthur weakly protested, but Morgana cut him off, fighting to contain her emotions.

"I heard you and Merlin talking, I know you have a bottle of poison, just in case."

Arthur slowly reached into the pouch, pulling out the offending vial and staring at it. How could he justify poisoning Morgana? Why was she making him choose between her and his kingdom?

The doors rattled and Morgana snatched the poison away from him.

"Morgana, wait!" Arthur shouted, just as the doors burst open and Morgause strode in with the knights.

"Morgause?" Morgana breathed, stunned.

"Camelot will soon be ours!" Morgause told Morgana, smirking at Arthur. "Once I finish him off."

"No!" Morgana shouted. "You said this was about Uther! You never said you'd hurt Arthur!"

"He is in the way," Morgause replied steadily, her eyes not leaving Arthur. "Whose side are you on?"

Whose side _was_ she on? Camelot's or Morgause's? She knew Arthur would be a great king one day, but she also knew that with Uther on the throne she might not live to see that day. But in the end, did it really matter? She chose this path, now it was a choice of her life or all the citizens of Camelot. There was no choice. She was painfully aware of the position she'd put Arthur in, and would never forgive herself for it.

"I'm sorry Arthur…Merlin…" Morgana whispered, lifting the vial to her lips and drinking the contents. The liquid burned her throat and caused her to drop the vial, gaging. _Please forgive me,_ was the last thing Morgana thought before darkness consumed her.

月

"Morgana!" Arthur gasped when Morgana started gaging. He reached over to Morgana, only to be shoved aside by Morgause who had caught her before she hit the ground.

"Sister…" Morgause breathed. "What did you do to her?" She snarled.

"I didn't do anything…" Arthur whispered, noticing the vial on the floor. He slowly reached and picked it up while Morgause's attention was on Morgana. He felt sick. Why did he grab the stupid poison? How could he let this happen?

"What did you give her? I can save her!" Morgause exclaimed, her expression pleading.

"Stop the attack," Arthur replied stiffly.

"We don't have time!" Morgause shouted, but Arthur refused to give in. Morgana chose this, he wouldn't let Morgause destroy Camelot.

"Alright!" Morgause snapped. With a flash of her eyes the knights fell. Uther jolted in his throne and Arthur handed Morgause the vial. Just as Uther's eyes fell on them, Morgause vanished with Morgana in her arms.

火

"She just… poisoned herself…" Arthur guiltily informed Merlin later, after calming Uther down.

"It's not your fault, Arthur," Merlin gently assured him, but Arthur wouldn't listen.

"I should have found a way to stop this…"

"No, Morgana chose this… I should have realized what was happening before it was too late…" Merlin, looking close to tears, corrected.

"We will find her," Arthur firmly declared. "We will bring her home. We will help her."

Merlin nodded his head, but Arthur knew something else was wrong, something Merlin would never tell him.

"Arthur, there's… there's something I need to take care off."

Arthur eyed Merlin carefully; a part of him wanted to demand to know what was going on but in light of everything that had happened decided to let it be.

"Alright."

Merlin stiffly nodded his head and left, leaving Arthur to his thoughts.

After Arthur had initially helped Uther calm down, Uther had rounded on him and demanded to know why he'd let Morgana get taken. The disappointment and anger in Uther's eyes still sent shivers up his spine. Arthur stood to talk to his father, when suddenly the castle violently shook and the halls filled with a vicious roar.

**End Notes**

**What do you guys think? What will Morgause do to Morgana? **


	89. Chapter 89

**A/N**

**Not gonna lie, I've had trouble writting Merlin fics for the past couple days. Probably because my little sister is watching season 5 now and its reminding me how sad it was :(. Sorry about the shortness, this chapter was REALLY hard to do.**

Arthur frantically scanned the horizon for any sign of the dragon. For days, Camelot had been under attack. More people than Arthur cared to count were already dead and even more injured. Everything was happening too quickly for Arthur to keep up: Morgana's disappearance; the dragon's arrival; Uther's coldness towards Arthur… Arthur forced the dark thoughts out of his mind and focused on the task at hand.

His mind wandered to his friend, who had been acting very strangely since the dragon had started attacking Camelot. He knew that Merlin was upset about something, but he couldn't figure out what. At times it seemed like Merlin blamed himself. Why would he think that, though? It didn't make any sense…

Arthur stumbled when the castle shook, signaling that the dragon had returned. A large blur flew by and Arthur instinctively ducked down just as the dragon started to breathe fire, trying once again to burn the citadel to the ground. When the dragon paused in its attack, Arthur took his chance.

"_Fire!_"

His men lifted their bows and started shooting at the dragon. As always, though, the arrows bounced off the beast's scales. The dragon turned to Arthur, opened its mouth and all Arthur could see was fire.

花

Merlin looked up at the ceiling wearily as the building shook, fear for his friend filling him. Was Arthur alright? Would the dragon leave him alone or would he kill Arthur just like the others? Why would the dragon attack Camelot when he'd spent so long helping Merlin protect it?

The castle shook again, snapping Merlin out of his thoughts; this was not the time to think about that. He then turned his attention back to helping Gaius care for the injured.

As much as he wanted do, he hadn't told anyone he'd been the one to release the dragon. Merlin felt his heart freeze in his chest when he saw a pair of knights supporting a bleeding Arthur. He shoved his way through the crowd to get to his friend, Gaius beating him to it.

"What happened?" Merlin shouted when he reached the pair.

"The dragon is much stronger than we realized," Arthur sighed, wincing in pain when Gaius started probing the injury.

"I'm sorry," Merlin whispered breathlessly, guilt filling him. He should have known the dragon would do something like this…

Arthur eyed Merlin worriedly before asking, "What do you have to be sorry for?"

The castle violently shook again.

"I need to care for the others," Gaius told Merlin hurriedly. "Bandage him up?"

Merlin nodded his head and started cleaning the blood off Arthur's armor as Gaius hurried off. The cut on Arthur's shoulder wasn't too deep thanks to the armor, but the guilt wouldn't fade.

"Merlin," Arthur began, "what's wrong?"

Merlin paused in his cleaning to look up at Arthur; his friend; his brother. He deserved to know what Merlin had done, but could Merlin stand to see the look of utter betrayal on his friend's face when he realized he had been the one to cause all of this? That was what he deserved, though.

"It was me," Merlin whispered.

"What?" Arthur asked, clearly confused.

"I released the dragon," Merlin whispered.

Arthur stared at Merlin in shock and slowly asked, "What do you mean?"

"The dragon that I had been seeing… that's him… I promised I'd free him in exchange for his help. I had no choice Arthur-"

"Merlin," Arthur snapped, making Merlin stop, "I understand. We'll figure out a way to fix this." He paused. "Why is he attacking Camelot if he's been helping you?"

Merlin stared at Arthur, stunned, before replying, "I don't know. He won't even listen to me." He picked up the bandages and started wrapping Arthur's shoulder.

"What do you know about dragons?" Arthur asked.

"They were controlled by the Dragon Lords," Merlin whispered.

"There are no more Dragon Lords," Arthur sighed.

Merlin nodded his head sadly in agreement.

空

The next day Arthur stood in front of Uther, telling him of all the damage the dragon had done the night before. Merlin felt sick when Arthur recounted the death toll and number of homes destroyed. If he hadn't of released the stupid dragon then none of this would be happening. Or better yet, if he'd never agreed to free him in the first place.

"Sire, if I may," Gaius said after Arthur had finished. "There may be a way to make the dragon stop the atta-"

"No Gaius," Uther snapped. "I've told you before, and my answer is still no."

"But people are dying!" Gaius protested.

Uther glanced at Merlin before continuing, "We will continue this discussion in private. Leave us!"

Arthur and Merlin locked eyes and Merlin nodded slightly, the pair staying behind as the room emptied.

"That means you too, Arthur," Uther said stiffly.

Merlin opened his mouth to protest but Uther wouldn't hear it. "And especially you, Merlin."

Merlin, though, wasn't deterred. "But we might be able to help."

"I have very little patience for this sort of thing right now, Merlin," Uther warned. "Now leave before you find yourself spending the night in the dungeons."

Merlin glared heatedly at Uther before storming out, followed closely by a concerned Arthur.

When the door closed behind the pair Gaius rounded on Uther. "Why won't you tell him? He has the right to know!"

"I will not put him into that kind of danger!" Uther snarled.

Gaius sighed wearily. "Not telling him will prove to be just as dangerous, if not more so," he explained.

"in what way is staying in the castle more dangerous than going out to fight a dragon?" Uther roared.

"People are dying, Uther!" Gaius exclaimed. "What makes you think that the dragon will stop?"

"I can't just tell him," Uther muttered. "And all the Dragon Lords are dead."

"I could tell him," Gaius pleaded. "Merlin is our only hope."

Uther contemplated it for several minutes before he shook his head. "I can't. He must never find out."

山

"I can't believe him!" Merlin shouted angrily, pacing his chambers. "He knows that there is no way to stop the dragon yet he won't listen to anything anyone has to say! He's an idiot!"

Arthur, slightly amused, informed him, "I could have you arrested for treason."

"Like you would do that," Merlin snapped.

"Well I could," Arthur defended.

Merlin rolled his eyes and sighed. "We need to figure something out!"

"Everyone who knew anything about dragons is dead!" Arthur exclaimed, frustrated.

"Then Camelot is doomed," Merlin whispered.


	90. Chapter 90

**A/N**

**Thanks to my beta Hatstand's quick editing you get this chapter much earlier than expected! No seriously, I sent this chapter off before class, I got out of class two hours later and she had already finished it! Enjoy!**

Merlin desperately tried to tune out the screams as the dragon burned them alive. So many innocent people were dying, yet Merlin hid inside the castle, kept himself safe while others suffered. Arthur was out there, fighting to protect his people even though he was injured…

He couldn't sit back anymore, he had magic! He could fight. At least he had a chance of taking the dragon down. Determined, Merlin stood and pulled open the door, and nearly ran into a startled Evan.

"I'm so sorry!" Evan exclaimed. "I was about to knock…"

"It's fine," Merlin assured, stepping around Evan, "but I have to go."

"Where could you possibly have to go?" Evan demanded. "There is a dragon attacking!" Merlin ignored Evan, who stared at Merlin in horror. "You're not thinking of fighting the dragon, are you?"

"I can't just sit here while everyone is fighting!" Merlin snapped.

"You're not a knight!" Evan exclaimed.

"I can take care of myself," Merlin said sharply, ignoring Evans pleas. By the time Merlin made it out to the courtyard, the dragon was flying back out to the forest. Enraged, Merlin raced through the town to find the monster.

早

Arthur weaved warily through the ruins of the lower town. Nothing they did even made a dent on the dragon; it was like they were battling the griffin all over again, only this was much worse.

"Prince Arthur!" someone called, making Arthur jump. Was the dragon back? Were people hurt? Evan weaved through the knights, calling out to the prince until he'd caught up. "I'm so sorry but I didn't think I should tell the king… but I think Merlin is in trouble."

"What? Why?" Arthur demanded, getting worried. What trouble did the idiot get into now?

"He's gone to try and fight the dragon!" Evan exclaimed, looking terrified.

"What!" Arthur shouted, causing the people nearby to freeze. Arthur lowered his voice and hissed, "What possessed him to do that?"

"He said that he could take care of himself," Evan informed him, looking worried.

"Don't tell my father. He'll be furious if he finds out," Arthur ordered.

Evan, looking even more worried, asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Find him before the dragon does and drag him back to Camelot!" Arthur exclaimed, running off towards the forest.

Arthur was beyond furious, what made the idiot think that he could stop the dragon? Sure he had magic, but nothing anyone had done did anything to hurt the monster.

"I sure hope he has some sort of plan," Arthur grumbled to no one in particular. As he ran through the forest, Arthur couldn't help but wonder what possessed Merlin to go after the dragon; did he even know what could hurt the dragon?

Arthur spotted Merlin standing in the clearing, waiting. "What were you thinking?" he roared, startling Merlin. "Do you even know how to stop the dragon?"

Merlin's expression turned stony. "Did Evan tell you?"

"He was worried!" Arthur exclaimed, frustrated.

"I can take care of myself!" Merlin shouted. Arthur glared at Merlin, ready to tell him off, when there was a loud roar that rang through the clearing.

A large mass flew above them, and Merlin shouted at it.

"Hey! You stupid dragon! Leave them alone!"

Roaring at them, the dragon flipped in the air and landed in the clearing, causing the ground to shake violently.

"You think you can order me?" the dragon snarled, baring its large teeth. "I am a dragon! Your magic cannot harm me!"

Merlin barked a spell, raising a spear Arthur hadn't realized Merlin had brought, creating a blue flame on the tip and launched it at the dragon. The weapon harmlessly bounced off the dragons scales, just like every other weapon they'd used on the beast.

"I am a creature of the old religion! You cannot hope to defeat me!"

"Why are you doing this?" Merlin desperately demanded. "You're killing innocent people!"

"Innocent?" the dragon roared. "The ones who persecuted me and my kind?"

"They were afraid," Merlin whispered. "Uther lied to us all!"

"He must pay for his crimes!" the dragon snarled.

"How many others must suffer so you can have your revenge?" Merlin demanded.

"As many as it takes," the dragon growled.

All Arthur could see was red. How dare that monster threaten his people? How dare he! Roaring, Arthur raised his sword and charged at the dragon. The dragon easily batted Arthur away and raised its head up, getting ready to release his fire.

_"Stop!" _Merlin shouted, terrified. "_Don't you dare hurt him!" _The dragon froze, staring at Merlin in surprise. "Leave Camelot, now. If you keep hurting people I will find a way to kill you!" The dragon growled and flew away, leaving a stunned Merlin in his wake.

"I didn't think that would work…" Merlin admitted, turning to Arthur, who was staring at him in shock and fear. "Arthur? What's wrong?"

"Could you always do that?" Arthur whispered.

"Do what?" Merlin asked, confused.

"Speak dragon…" Arthur whispered.

"What do you mean speak dragon?" Merlin asked.

"You roared something and the dragon stopped!" Arthur shouted. "Couldn't you hear?"

Merlin slowly shook his head, looking worried. "No one can speak dragon!"

"Well you just did," Arthur commented dryly.

"I just saw that the dragon was going to hurt you and… panicked," Merlin quickly explained.

"Whatever that was… it sure scared the dragon off," Arthur informed him.

"No kidding…" Merlin agreed.

"So… what do we do?" Arthur asked.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked.

"What if the dragon comes back and you can't send it off again?" Arthur asked. "We need to think of something."

"What can we do?" Merlin demanded. "The only people who might know what's going on were the dragon lords and they're all dead!"

"What about the druids?" Arthur suggested.

"The druids?" Merlin asked.

"Maybe they know something about this," Arthur suggested.

"Uther will definitely notice if I vanish for a few days while I go find them!" Merlin snapped, looking annoyed.

"We need to do something!" Arthur argued.

Looking even angrier, Merlin snapped, "What can we do? You and I both know Uther would never let me go looking for druids!"

"So sitting back and waiting for the dragon to come back is a better idea?" Arthur asked dryly.

Merlin glared at him. "I don't know, okay?"

Taking a deep breath to calm himself Arthur told Merlin, "Look, we'll think of something, but we need to do something before that stupid dragon comes back…"

"What if we can't?" Merlin asked, looking worried.

"I don't know," Arthur admitted.

When the pair made it back to Camelot, they were met by an extremely worried Evan.

"Did Uther notice we were gone?" Arthur asked before Evan could say anything.

"No," Evan assured. "He's too busy dealing with everyone in the city. He never even asked about you two."

"Good," Arthur sighed, relived.

"I'm glad you are both alright," Evan admitted.

Merlin forced himself to calm down before replying, "We were fine."

Evan, noticing Merlin was upset, cut in frantically. "Merlin, I'm sorry I ju-"

"Don't worry about it," Merlin muttered, stepping around the servant.

"You're my friend, Merlin," Evan informed him. "I don't want to see you get hurt."

Merlin sighed and turned to Evan. "You wouldn't understand…"

"Please just tell me," Evan begged.

Merlin wanted to tell him, he really did, but would he understand? What if he started fearing Merlin like every other person in Camelot would? What if he told Uther? Turning away from Evan Merlin said, "I'm sorry. I can't."

**End Notes**

**Oh dear, what will our boys do to fix this? **


	91. Chapter 91

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay in this chapter. Here it is though! Please enjoy!**

For the next few days, everyone in Camelot went about their business, wearily waiting for the dragon to return. When the dragon didn't appear, though, no one relaxed. Instead, they grew more worried, fearing when the dragon did strike again it would be more devastating than any other attack.

Arthur believed that the dragon wasn't coming back, Merlin didn't agree. He feared the dragon was waiting for them to let their guard down before striking again. When Merlin told Arthur this, he claimed Merlin was just being paranoid and that he needed to relax. Merlin couldn't shake the feeling that Gaius was hiding something, he always 'had something to take care of' every time Merlin tried to talk to him, and when Merlin could force him to talk he wouldn't meet his eyes.

Once again, Merlin felt like he was being locked up and treated like a child, it was as though everyone thought that Merlin didn't have a right to know anything about himself. He had planned to talk to Gaius about what happened with the dragon, but now he felt that Gaius didn't deserve to know; so Merlin was confined to his chambers, forced to desperately look through his books in hope that he could find something, _anything,_ that could tell him what was going on.

Merlin angrily slammed the book he'd been flipping through closed, shoving it onto the floor. None of the books even mentioned the dragon lords. He knew he'd seen something about them before, he just couldn't find it anywhere. Someone tentatively knocked on the door. Merlin didn't want to talk to anyone, so he didn't answer; hoping that whoever it was would get the message and leave.

"Merlin, I know you're in there," Arthur sternly informed him, walking inside.

"What's the point of knocking if you just walk in anyway," Merlin sighed, glaring halfheartedly at his friend.

"I know you're frustrated, but snapping at me will get you nowhere," Arthur scolded, grinning at Merlin.

"What are you so happy about?"

"I think I've figured out a way to get you a chance to speak to the druids," Arthur informed Merlin, immediately causing the younger man to perk up.

"What?" Merlin asked excitedly.

"I'll tell my father I'm going on a hunt by myself to clear my head and find the druids myself and get someone to come back to Camelot with me!"

Merlin glared at Arthur and replied tartly, "No."

"Why not?" Arthur demanded. "It's perfect!"

"You have a strange definition of perfect," Merlin informed Arthur. "In case you've forgotten, some of those druids want you dead!"

"Aren't the druids peaceful?" Arthur demanded.

"Most," Merlin agreed, "but there are some who hate the Pendragons. I won't let you risk your life for me!"

"That's what brothers do," Arthur whispered, making Merlin pause.

"I can't let you risk your life for something stupid," Merlin mumbled.

"It's not stupid," Arthur assured.

"But it's my problem," Merlin argued. "I'm not going to find the answers here."

"We," Arthur corrected.

"Huh?"

"This is our problem," Arthur assured. "We'll find a way to get you to the druids."

Someone knocked on the door and Merlin called, "Come in!"

Evan shuffled in the room carrying a tray with Merlin's breakfast on it, head bowed. "Will there be anything else my lord?" Evan asked emotionlessly, making Merlin feel sick.

"No…" Merlin muttered. Nodding his head, Evan slipped out just as silently as he'd entered.

"Why won't you tell him?" Arthur asked.

"He has every right to hate magic users," Merlin explained. "What if he hates me too?"

"He won't hate you," Arthur assured.

Merlin looked up at Arthur and demanded, "How do you know?"

"He's your friend." Arthur whispered.

After a few minutes of silence Merlin said, "I'll tell Uther we want to go on a short trip to clear our heads, some nice quiet alone time or something… I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess…" Merlin slipped out of the room, leaving Arthur by himself.

Arthur sighed and mumbled, "I'm not…"

後

Later, much to Merlin's surprise, Uther requested that Merlin join him for lunch. Wearily, Merlin went down to the council chambers to meet him, preparing himself for the worst, and was surprised when Uther didn't say anything to him right away. Instead, Uther waited until they'd eaten before speaking.

"Arthur tells me you'd both like to go on a short trip to get away," he began, startling Merlin.

"Yeah, we're… upset about Morgana," Merlin admitted.

"We all are," Uther agreed, sounding heartbroken, "but I'm not sure if I can let you go out with the dragon still-"

"It hasn't attacked in days, though!" Merlin argued desperately. He _needed_ answers, and he wasn't going to get them while stuck in Camelot.

"No, he hasn't," Uther agreed, expression darkening. "But I don't want to risk it."

"But what if the dragon never returns?" Merlin demanded. "Will we spend the rest of our lives in fear of him?" Merlin froze, remembering who he was talking to and bowed his head mumbling, "I'm sorry…"

"Merlin, I understand your frustration… but now just is not a good time to be leaving Camelot."

Merlin stood up and stiffly nodded his head before leaving, not sparing Uther a second glance. He stormed through the castle, not really paying attention to where he was going, too angry to care. Uther knew something. The way he avoided saying if Merlin could actually go and how he never looked Merlin in the eye screamed it.

"I take it your talk didn't go well," Arthur commented dryly when Merlin stormed by.

"He keeps saying he won't let me out to protect me… sometimes I wonder if he just wants to keep me prisoner."

"He loves you," Arthur assured.

"He doesn't trust me," Merlin whispered.

"You don't trust him," Arthur countered.

"You and I both know what he'll do if he finds out about my magic." Merlin sighed and looked over at Arthur pleadingly. Arthur looked back sadly.

"We need answers," he agreed. "If Uther won't let us go find them… then we'll just have to go anyway."

出

"Uther, I know you're afraid to tell him, but if you don't you and I both know he'll find a way to get the answers on his own!" Gaius exclaimed.

"I know," Uther growled.

"Locking him up won't stop him. He will find a way to get those answers and he will not be happy when he finds out you've been lying to him! It will be better for everyone if you just tell him now. He might be angry but-"

"Then I won't let him find out," Uther growled.

"He's going to find out!" Gaius exclaimed.

"Not if he can't leave," Uther whispered.

"Uther… what are you saying?" Gaius asked worriedly.

"He's too strong…" Uther muttered.

"Uther, if you bind his magic he will surely notice!" Gaius informed Uther, fear evident in his voice.

"What if it were weakened?" Uther asked, a dangerous gleam in his eye.

"Your fear of magic is what is stopping Merlin from telling you the truth!" Gaius exclaimed.

"He knows magic is dangerous…" Uther whispered darkly.

"He is Balinor's son! Do you really think he could turn evil?" Gaius demanded.

"I don't know…" Uther whispered, walking away.

What was magic? Good or evil? Did it even matter? All magic did was corrupt. Regardless of magic being good or evil or neither, man could not wield such power without turning to darkness. That kind of sheer power corrupted, made the wielder feel superior to the rest of man; made them feel like they could play God. Magic drew people to the darkness, but he would keep Merlin in the light, no matter what it took.


	92. Chapter 92

**A/N**

**I know this is late, but it's a super long chapter! Hope you guys enjoy it!**

Arthur and Merlin carefully slipped through the castle that night, quickly diving out of sight when a guard walked too close. The pair knew that if they were spotted they'd never get to the druids. When the pair finally reached the stables, Merlin didn't let himself relax, they still needed to get out of the city.

Merlin's heart froze when someone behind him asked, "What are you doing?"

Evan.

Merlin slowly turned to face the servant, who glared at Merlin. He _could_ order Evan to leave and not say anything, but could he really do that to a friend? Merlin looked over at Arthur, who nodded his head encouragingly. Maybe Arthur was right; maybe Evan wouldn't turn him in to Uther… the warning bells started going off, startling Merlin from his thoughts. Merlin hoped that it was the dragon or something else causing the bells to go off, but he knew better.

"Evan I know I haven't been honest with you lately and I'm _sorry_. Something… happened when I met the dragon, something I… I'm not even really sure _what_ happened."

"And you think the druids will know?" Evan asked his stiff posture relaxing.

"If they don't know… no one will," Arthur agreed.

"I won't try and stop you but… if you're not back in three days I'm going to tell Uther where you've gone," Evan informed them.

Merlin let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you. I promise I'll explain everything as best as I can when I get back."

Evan nodded his head and Merlin jumped onto his horse.

"Thank you," Evan whispered, making Merlin pause. He could hear men coming towards the stables, but he had to know.

"For what?" Merlin asked.

"For trusting me," Evan replied, causing Merlin to grin.

"You'd better get out of here before someone sees you," Arthur calmly informed Evan, who nodded before slipping out. "Ready?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded his head and the pair urged their horses on, galloping full speed out of the city. They dodged the knights frantically running through the city, barely getting out before they could close the gates.

"That could have gone better," Merlin grumbled once they'd slowed down.

"We got out," Arthur argued, shrugging slightly.

"I just hope we get some answers…" Merlin mumbled.

"We better keep moving. My father will probably send his knights after us soon."

Merlin stiffly nodded his head and he angrily turned his horse south, followed closely by Arthur, who watched Merlin worriedly. Arthur knew that Merlin was upset, but he didn't know what to say to his friend to help him.

The forest was eerily quiet as the pair traveled, the moon lighting it with an unearthly glow. After traveling for a while, Arthur got the sense that something was wrong. The forest was _too_ quiet, and he knew from experience that silence was never good. Arthur held out his hand to catch Merlin's attention, eyeing the forest warily. Merlin looked over at Arthur worriedly; who continued to scan the forest, knowing that _something_ was wrong. Suddenly an arrow shot out from the trees, deeply embedding itself in a tree right next to Merlin, startling his horse and causing it to throw Merlin before galloping off.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted as another arrow shot out. Arthur ducked and jumped off of his horse, gasping when he felt the arrow pierce his armor. He whipped out his dagger and threw it in the direction the arrows came from; a distinct thud could be heard as more men burst from the trees. Arthur pulled out his sword, prepared to fight when the men were thrown off their feet. Startled their attackers fled back into the forest. Arthur turned to Merlin to thank him, only to find he looked just as confused as Arthur.

"Emrys," a deep voice greeted. The pair looked over to their savior and found a man standing there in the shadows. "It is time you learned about your heritage."

始

Arthur clutched his side as they traveled through the forest, trying not to let his pain show, but Merlin saw right through him.

"Arthur! You're hurt!" Merlin exclaimed when he saw the blood on his friend's hand.

"Nothing I can't handle," Arthur assured through clenched teeth.

"There is a healer that can tend to your injury, Prince Arthur," the man assured.

Gasping, Arthur stumbled slightly, just able to catch himself before he crashed to the ground. He knew that something was wrong; most injuries didn't burn like this, or make him feel so dizzy.

Merlin was immediately by Arthur's side, supporting him. "We're almost there."

When they reached the camp, Arthur was pulled away from Merlin, who tried to follow, only to be stopped be the man who saved them.

"They will take good care of him, Emrys, trust me."

"I don't even know who you are…" Merlin whispered, studying the man.

"My name is Iseldir," the man calmly told Merlin. "I knew your father, Balinor."

"How did you know my father?" Merlin asked.

"Please come with me," Iseldir asked calmly, turning away from where Arthur was being taken, deeper into the camp. Reluctantly, Merlin followed him, ignoring the stares of the other druids emerging from their small tents. Iseldir led Merlin to the largest tent in the area and went inside.

"Why have you come here, Emrys?" Iseldir asked, watching Merlin carefully.

"The great dragon was attacking Camelot, killing hundreds of people…"

"We cannot help you, Emrys," Iseldir replied sadly.

"I know," Merlin assured. "That's not why I'm here. When I went to try and face the dragon… I apparently spoke to it… in its language…"

"That is not surprising," Iseldir assured.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked excitedly.

"Uther never told you?" Iseldir asked, surprised.

"He won't tell me anything," Merlin explained.

"Your father was a dragon lord. That is why you can control the dragon," Iseldir explained. Merlin stared at Iseldir, too stunned to say anything. "He was even the court sorcerer."

"He knew… but he let all those innocent people die…" Merlin whispered, horror laced through his words.

"His deep fear of magic has destroyed his trust," Iseldir informed Merlin. "Nothing any of us, even you and Morgana, say will be able to repair the damage Nimueh has done."

"She destroyed everything," Merlin growled, whole body tensing. Because of what she did, Uther hated magic, and nothing Merlin ever did would be able to help him see the truth.

"But you and Arthur will fix it," Iseldir assured. "It is his destiny to unite all of Albion, with you by his side."

同

When Arthur came to, the first thing he registered was pain. His whole body ached, though why was a mystery to him, because he'd been shot in his side. He vaguely remembered that the healers mentioned something before they gave him something that caused him to fall asleep. Arthur slowly pried his eyes open and looked around the small tent, noticing that it was morning almost immediately.

"Apparently that arrow had a pretty nasty poison on it," Merlin whispered from his position next to Arthur.

"What?" Arthur asked, slightly confused.

"The arrow that the bandit, or whoever he was, shot at you was poisoned…" Merlin sighed heavily, his face covered by the hood he wore.

"Something tells me that's not all that's wrong. What did the druids tell you?" Arthur asked.

Merlin looked up with red eyes and deep bags. "I… I'm a dragon lord…" Arthur stared at him, unsure as to why he was so upset by this news. "Don't you understand, Arthur? The powers of the dragon lord are passed down from father to son. Uther _knew _my father was a dragon lord!"

"And he knew you'd be one as well," Arthur finished, understanding dawning on him.

"Uther let all of those innocent people die because he was afraid!" Merlin continued, getting more upset by the minute.

"Maybe he didn't realize…" Arthur argued, knowing it was useless but feeling he had to try. Seeing Merlin so upset made him upset too.

Merlin shook his head, hanging it slightly. "He's afraid… he will _never_ accept me… I… I can't go back to Camelot…"

"Merlin, are you crazy?" Arthur asked, getting more and more worried.

"He will kill me when he finds out about my magic… The druids - they accept me for who I am."

"What about our destiny?" Arthur asked. "We're supposed to unite Albion! I… I can't do that without you…"

"Stay with me!" Merlin begged, looking serious.

"You know we can't," Arthur whispered. "Uther will never stop looking for us. He's probably looking right now." Merlin looked close to tears from Arthur's words, making Arthur feel horrible, but he knew that they needed to be said. "Merlin… did you sleep at all last night?" Arthur asked, reaching over and grabbing Merlin's wrists. Merlin stiffly shook his head as Arthur tugged the younger man closer.

"Couldn't…" Merlin mumbled as Arthur pulled him onto the blankets.

"You need to sleep. You'll feel a lot better and have a clearer head," Arthur gently informed him.

"Don't we need to go back?" Merlin asked bitterly, a dark tone creeping into his voice.

Arthur smiled gently. "It can wait a few hours while you get some proper sleep. It's probably been at least a week, hasn't it?"

Merlin looked up at Arthur before slowly nodding his head in defeat. "The dragon…"

"Well, none of that is a problem now, right?" Merlin didn't answer as Arthur forced him to lie down. "I'll stay right here."

晩

Several hours later, the pair started back towards Camelot. Arthur had tried to start some sort of conversation several times, but Merlin refused to talk; only telling Arthur after he'd woken up that they had to go. When the walls came into sight, Arthur breathed a sigh of relief; his feet were aching from walking in his armor and he was hungry, the horses having had all of their supplies.

The moment they entered the city they were surrounded by knights, who immediately took them to Uther.

"Leave us," Uther snapped from his throne, glaring at Merlin. The knights bowed and left, the door slamming behind them. "So… even after I explicitly told you not to go you left anyway."

"You knew that I was a dragon lord didn't you!" Merlin snarled, unable to hold it in any longer.

Uther's gaze hardened. "You went to the druids?"

"I had to know the truth!" Merlin exclaimed. "How could you sit back and let all of those innocent people die!"

"I know magic better than you ever could!" Uther roared. "Magic corrupts even the best of men. I would not let that happen to you."

"So you're saying that my father was evil?" Merlin demanded.

"He would have eventually been corrupted," Uther growled.

"Father, do you even hear yourself?" Arthur whispered, horrified.

"_Silence!_" Uther snarled. "If I hear that you continue to use this… power…. I will have to treat you as a criminal."

"Magic isn't illegal, though!" Arthur exclaimed. "And even if it was, the power a dragon lord has is nothing like sorcery-"

"Maybe that needs to change," Uther growled.

"Because of my abilities the dragon is gone!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Get out of my sight…" Uther growled. Merlin slowly backed away from Uther before running out of the throne room, followed closely by Arthur. Merlin speed through the castle, ignoring Arthur's shouts until Arthur roughly grabbed him and dragged him into a nearby alcove.

"Merlin liste-"

"Did you even hear him?" Merlin asked, eyes watering. "He- he hates me… what will he do if he finds out-"

"He won't," Arthur assured, feeling sick himself. "Maybe… maybe he'll see reason…"

Merlin stepped away from Arthur and mumbled, "I doubt it."

"Merlin! Arthur!" Evan called, joining them. "Is everything alright?"

"I… I'm a dragon lord!" Merlin whispered, surprising both Arthur and Evan. "Uther knew… he… he would have let all those people die because he is so afraid…he- he hates me!"

Evan opened and closed his mouth several times; trying desperately to process all of the new information he'd been given. He could see Merlin was very upset, but also, even more afraid. What about himself? He didn't feel any fear at the news; it was like a part of him already knew that there was something special about Merlin.

"Whatever Uther said to you… he was wrong," Evan assured. "I know you are a great man and magic or whatever this is isn't evil. Maybe you'll find a way to show him the truth."

Merlin shook his head and walked away, bitterly muttering, "I should have stayed with he druids."

**A/N**

**SO.. anyone want to kill Uther? Let me know what you thought!**


	93. Chapter 93

Her life had become an endless cycle of pain and oblivion. Morgause wanted Morgana to turn against Camelot and join her, but Morgana refused. She couldn't help but constantly think about the look of horror on Arthur's face when she drank the poison, Merlin's faith in her being good. She couldn't betray Merlin; he had shown her faith. He needed her to stay strong for Arthur and for Camelot.

After her many escape attempts, Morgause had taken to tying Morgana up and having guards watch her constantly. Morgause's treatment of her, though, only helped to remind her whose side she should be on.

Morgana refused to look up as Morgause strode confidently into the tent. "I don't see why you resist," Morgause hissed. "Your _friend_ would have killed you!"

"You gave him no choice," Morgana whispered. "Besides, he did nothing, I chose to poison myself."

"He tricked you!" Morgause insisted.

"No, you did," Morgana replied, glaring at Morgause. "You tricked me into helping you curse Camelot! You tried to kill my friends!"

Morgause smirked as she replied, "They deserve it. Soon you'll see. Camelot is the enemy!"

知

Merlin had never realized how slowly time could crawl by. It had been a year since Morgana had been taken. The slowest, most painful year of Merlin's life. As much as he wanted to know Morgana was ok, he felt that she was probably safer where ever she was.

"Have you looked outside lately?" Evan asked, startling Merlin.

"I'm under lockdown remember?" Merlin sighed.

"Still?" Evan asked, stunned.

"What's so special about outside?" Merlin asked, walking over to the window, freezing when he saw. "Oh…" Another pyre, surrounded by furious citizens as it burned, but the anger was not at the person burning, it was toward Uther.

"What did he do?" Merlin whispered.

"He was believed to have been a part of Morgana's kidnapping," Evan whispered.

"At the rate he's going… it will be me in there soon…" Merlin whispered.

"Don't say that!" Evan scolded.

Merlin turned to the servant, a defeated look in his eyes, "Uther… he hates me… still… I don't see how this will end peacefully…" Merlin once again found himself wishing that he could have gone with Arthur, but Uther refused to let him leave the castle. He couldn't stop thinking about all the worst case scenarios. What if Morgause killed them? What if Morgana had turned evil from her time with her? Merlin groaned, "Please, Arthur, come back safely…"

出

Arthur fought back a groan as he and his men searched for Morgana. They'd been at the fruitless search for over a year and still hadn't found any clues as to where she was. If he was honest with himself, though, he was almost scared to find Morgana. What would she say to him? Would she forgive him?

Arthur froze when he saw a camp in the clearing, his gaze hardening when he saw a very angry Morgause storm out of a heavily guarded tent.

"Do you think Morgana is in there?" Leon whispered, looking at the tent.

"Yes," Arthur whispered as he waved his men over, giving them the signal to surround the camp. With a shout, he and his men charged into the camp to save Morgana.

手

Morgana jumped when she heard shouting and swords clanging, unable to stop the small flicker of hope that someone would save her from this _hell_. There was a struggle in front of the tent for several minutes before Leon stumbled in.

"Leon?" Morgana breathed, trying not to get her hopes up. "You've rescued me!"

"We still have to get out my Lady," Leon countered, kneeling down to untie her. Morgana fought back tears of joy as Leon gently helped her to her feet, guiding her out of the tent, freezing when they found an enraged Morgause standing in-front of them. Leon pulled out his sword.

Morgause smirked. "I am a high priestess; do you really think that silly weapon will stop me?"

"No, but it will slow you down," another voice replied. Morgause gasped and stumbled away to reveal Arthur. "Come on, we have to move!"

After escaping the camp, Arthur had them ride hard until nightfall before reluctantly letting them stop. Instead of going to Morgana, though, Arthur immediately went to the outskirts of the camp, claiming he'd take the first watch.

"Is he alright?" Morgana whispered to Leon, eyeing Arthur worriedly.

"He feels bad about what happened," Leon explained. "He won't say why, though."

"I'm going to go talk to him," Morgana whispered, standing up.

Before she could say anything to him, Arthur said, "You should get some rest."

"I've done nothing but rest for a year," Morgana tartly informed him. "I've done more than enough resting, thanks."

Arthur sighed and refused to look at her as he informed her, "You have every right to hate me and I underst-"

"What are you talking about?" Morgana asked.

"I poisoned you!" Arthur hissed, finally looking at her.

Morgana couldn't help herself as she burst out laughing, looking up at Arthur who looked back in horror. "Morgause has been trying to convince me for a year that you tried to kill me," Morgana informed him, "and now you're trying to convince me that you're the one to blame. It's kind of ironic in a funny way."

"It's true," Arthur growled, looking away.

"Your memory must be going," Morgana informed Arthur. "Because I vividly remember drinking from that bottle myself."

"You wouldn't have done it if I hadn't had it," Arthur growled.

"You don't know what I would have done," Morgana scolded.

"Would you really have killed yourself if I hadn't touched that poison bottle?" Arthur demanded.

"You would give up your life for Camelot," Morgana replied. "You've said yourself that one person's life is not more important than everyone else's."

"You should never have been in that situation…" Arthur whispered.

"You're right, I never should have even talked to Morgause," Morgana agreed.

Arthur fully faced Morgana. "That's not what I meant."

"I know," Morgana assured. "I'm telling you you're being ridiculous. I spent a year convincing Morgause that I poisoned myself, I don't want to spend another year doing that again."

"I didn't protect you…" Arthur whispered, guilt laced through his words.

"What, did Uther give you a hard time for not rescuing the damsel in distress?" Morgana asked teasingly, freezing when Arthur didn't laugh. "He blamed you?"

"He reminds me every day of how badly I messed up," Arthur whispered.

Morgana's gaze darkened at the mention of her guardian. He put Arthur through the same hell that she went through, and she would never wish that upon anyone. Ever.

"Arthur… I don't blame you; I never did. Not even for a second. But, if it makes you feel better, then I forgive you. I'm not some damsel that needs to be protected," Morgana added, smirking.

Morgana's comment got a weak smile out of Arthur who dryly commented, "I think Merlin would beg to differ after all that's happened."

"How is he?" Morgana asked, growing serious.

"He's… worried." Arthur admitted.

"Isn't he always?" Morgana asked. She grinned, causing another weak smile to cross Arthur's features before melting just as quickly.

"Yes but… Uther's gone mad… he's executing anyone who has magic. Merlin's scared… and… he almost hoped we wouldn't find you. No offense, but he thinks you were safer with Morgause."

Morgana was silent for several seconds. "Things must be bad if he's thinking that."

"I hardly recognize him anymore…" Arthur admitted, and Morgana knew he wasn't talking about Merlin anymore.

"Things will get better, I know it." Morgana whispered to Arthur.

Arthur stiffened. "Will it be before or after Uther kills one of us?"

Morgana didn't have an answer.

**End Notes**

**Morgana is officially the hardest character to write. Anyways hope you guys enjoyed this!**


	94. Chapter 94

**A/N**

**So my beta Hatstand deserves a huge round of applause for this chapter****…**** I had some pretty epic failures for grammar, spelling****…**** everything. She deserves a medal for putting up with all of that. Anyways so sorry for the delay, collage has destroyed my free time. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Uther angrily paced the throne room, impatiently waiting for Arthur to finally return with Morgana safe. He couldn't wrap his mind around how Arthur kept returning without Morgana, insisting that they couldn't find her. Did Arthur not care about her? Why did he insist that Morgana couldn't be found? Why didn't anyone understand?<p>

A guard timidly slipped inside. "Sire, Merlin wishes to speak t-"

"Tell him that I do not have time to talk!" Uther snapped.

"Please… Sire…" Merlin mumbled, standing up a little straighter.

"Leave us," Uther snapped, refusing to look at Merlin. Once they were alone Uther snapped, "Well? What did you need to tell me that was so important?"

"Sire… Arthur is doing everything he can to fi-" Merlin began, but Uther cut him off.

"If he was, he would have found her by now!"

Merlin, looking dejected, argued, "Arthur loves you, Uther! And Morgana! You're pushi-"

Once again Uther cut him off, looking even more enraged. "Watch your tongue child!"

"Uth-" Merlin began, terrified, but was cut off by the guard flinging the door open and shouting "They've returned with Lady Morgana!"

Uther smirked at Merlin before turning to the guard.

"Where are they?"

"Gaius is looking over her," the guard calmly replied.

Without another word, Uther ran out of the throne room, completely forgetting about Merlin. Sadly, Merlin slowly slipped out of the throne room, knowing he had to talk to Morgana soon.

大

Everything was a blur for Morgana, as she was led through the castle to her chambers. She was home; she was in Camelot again; she was almost happy to drink the foul potion Gaius handed her, and wasn't angry when she realized he'd given her a sleeping drought.

The next morning, she was abruptly woken by a guard who told her the King wished to see her. Morgana took a deep breath and prepared herself as slowly as possible. Once she was ready, she stepped out of her chambers, only to be escorted to the throne room by the guard who'd awoken her. Morgana tried not to let her fear show as she walked up to Uther, who beamed at her.

"Morgana, it is so good to see you well."

Morgana forced herself to smile at her guardian as she replied, "It's good to be home."

"Please, sit."

Morgana smiled and honestly replied, "I've done nothing but sit for a year, I want to go out…"

"Morgana, I…" Uther began, but Morgana didn't give him the chance to finish.

"What if Arthur and Merlin accompanied me?"

Uther's expression darkened. "Why do you want Merlin with you?"

Morgana frowned slightly as she replied, "He's my friend, and I haven't seen him in over a year."

Uther scoffed but waved his hand saying, "Fine, return before nightfall or I will send the guards."

"Of course," Morgana assured, trying not to let her fear show.

学

Morgause screamed in frustration, angrily knocking over the basin and breaking the connection.

"After all I did for her she still hates me!" she snarled, glaring at her men.

"She still cares for the prince and the boy," one of her men informed her, causing Morgause to glare at him. "But if you where to get rid of them… she would have nothing left in Camelot."

"She would never forgive me for doing such a thing," Morgause snarled, "she made that very clear."

"We must show her that she cannot trust anyone," another suggested.

"Show her that she cannot trust them?" Morgause asked, smiling. "What a splendid idea."

字

"So… Uther's been like this ever since I was taken?" Morgana asked as the three of them rode through the forest. Merlin had been very surprised when Morgana told him that Uther was letting him go riding with them, claiming Uther had him under house arrest.

"There's… something else…" Merlin slowly began.

"What?" Morgana asked worriedly.

"A lot happened after you were taken, "Arthur informed her sadly.

"…a dragon attacked Camelot…" Merlin began.

"What happened?" Morgana asked, horrified.

"I found out my father was a Dragon Lord… that I'm a Dragon Lord…"

"You tried telling Uther," Morgana finished.

"He was furious," Merlin agreed.

Arthur sighed sadly and added, "He… he _is _furious…"

"He hates me," Merlin corrected. "He thinks I'm a monster…I don't want to think what he'd do to me if he found out about my magic…"

"Uther has completely lost it," Arthur added. "He has turned against anything and everything magical."

Morgana looked over at Merlin and guiltily whispered, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Merlin asked.

"You shouldn't have had to go through all of this on your own," Morgana whispered.

Merlin's expression darkened as he replied, "You can't be blamed for Uther madness."

"Has anything else happened?" Morgana asked, trying to take Merlin's mind off the dark thoughts.

Merlin shook his head and informed her, "It's been eerily calm."

"I'm worried something bad will happen," Arthur informed them.

"Why now?" Merlin asked.

"Morgana was able to escape far too easily," Arthur explained.

"You think Morgause let her escape?" Merlin asked.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Arthur admitted.

休

Uther pulled his hood up higher as he made his way through the town, not wanting to attract attention to himself. If anyone found out where he was going… Uther pushed the dark thoughts away and made his way into a quieter section of the lower town. Though Gaius was the best physician in Camelot, he wasn't the only one who could make powerful potions. Uther stopped in front of an old building. The words on the sign had long since faded; the only distinguishable feature on it was the cauldron on the sign. The building looked old and unkempt, the door squealing as Uther pushed it open.

"Gwydion?" Uther called out as he entered, fearing the old potion maker had long since left.

"It's been a long time, old friend," an old voice replied, stepping out of the shadows. The man had a long, greying beard and dark, menacing eyes.

"Do you still make potions?" Uther asked, noticing that he had very few bottles lined on the walls.

Gwydion smiled darkly and replied, "Oh I still know a thing or two, but what about your little physician, Gaius?"

"He cannot help me with this," Uther replied. "I need a potion to suppress someone's magic."

Gwydion stared at Uther in confusion. "May I ask who this is for?"

"A sorcerer that needs to be controlled," Uther replied. "Can you help?"

"That is a very complex potion," Gwydion replied.

"I can pay you in gold," Uther replied, holding up a small bag.

"For it to work, you'd need to give it to the sorcerer daily, else the effects would wear off," Gwydion explained, slowly reaching for the bag.

"I understand," Uther assured.

Gwydion grinned greedily and snatched the bag saying, "Then it's a deal. Your potion will be ready in the morning."

Uther's expression turned menacing as he replied, "Perfect."


	95. Chapter 95

**A/N**

**Sorry about the delay, and shortness, school is killing me. In a couple weeks though I'll be off for summer though! For now though I have to get back to writing an essay on Ebonics...has anyone even heard of it...? Anyways enjoy!**

Early the next morning Evan slowly made his way through the castle down to the kitchens. He desperately hoped that with Lady Morgana safe in Camelot, the king would calm down a bit and leave Merlin alone. Though he wasn't as close to Merlin as Arthur, he could tell Merlin hadn't been sleeping well as of late. Evan believed it was the stress keeping him awake;worry about what Uther would do to him. Still, Evan had a feeling that he didn't know everything that was going on with Merlin.

Evan was so lost in thought that he almost ran into Uther as he entered the kitchens.

"Sire!" Evan exclaimed, bowing hastily. "I'm sorry. I did not see you."

"Be more careful next time!" Uther snapped, striding out of the kitchens.

Evan stared at the kings retreating form before shaking his head and stepping inside.

"Did the King need something?" he asked as he started to gather Merlin's meal.

"He was asking some strange questions," one of the servants replied. "Wanted to know exactly how Merlin and Morgana's food was prepared."

"What about Arthur's?" Evan asked as the cook snatched his plate and handed him a different one piled with food.

"Didn't even mention him," the cook replied.

"That's odd…" Evan mumbled.

"The King has been acting very strange as of late," the servant agreed.

"He's just worried about his wards," the cook dismissed. "Nothing strange about that after what happened."

Evan shrugged slightly, walking away. He was slightly concerned; the cook never prepared the plate for him; he had always done so himself. Evan pushed his suspicions to the back of his mind and hurried to Merlin's chambers, not surprised when he found him awake staring blankly out the window.

"Good morning," Evan greeted, trying to get some sort of reaction from him. Lately he hadn't spoken much to his servant and, as much Evan tried to brush it off, it still hurt. He had always thought Merlin was his friend. "Merlin… I'm worried about you."

"I'm dangerous," Merlin stiffly replied.

"What?" Evan asked, confused.

"Uther hates me… If he thought for a second that you knew about me being a Dragon Lord…"

"Uther loves you, Merlin…"

"He would have to be capable of love to care about me!" Merlin spat. Evan was about to mention the conversation he had with the cook earlier when there was a knock at the door. Evan pulled it open and stood back quickly as Morgana hurried inside.

"Good morning, my Lady," he greeted.

"Is it alright if we speak alone?" she asked, glancing at Evan.

Merlin turned to Evan, who bowed and replied, "Of course my lady. Don't forget to eat…my lord."

Merlin sighed as Evan slipped out and then turned to Morgana. "Is something wrong?"

"I know this sounds crazy but… I think Morgause is up to something," Morgana quickly told Merlin who froze at her words.

"what makes you think…?" Merlin slowly asked, fear filling him.

"I can't be sure… but I think…. I recognized Uther's new servant from when I was imprisoned. I only glimpsed him but…"

"Morgana," Merlin interrupted. " Listen. You're scared, I understand bu-"

"You think I'm crazy, don't you!" Morgana snapped, glaring daggers at him.

"No, I think you're understandable jumpy," Merlin tried to say soothingly.

"Why don't you believe me?" Morgana demanded.

"I think if we go around accusing random servants of sorcery without proof we'll find ourselves in the dungeon," Merlin rationalized. "In case you've forgotten, Uther is not feeling very kindly towards me."

"He'll listen to me if I tell him I saw the boy where I was imprisoned," Morgana argued.

"Do you really want to risk sending an innocent man to his death?" Merlin asked gently.

"What if he isn't innocent?" Morgana demanded.

"Please, Morgana, just wait. If we see anything even slightly suspicious I swear we'll go talk to Uther."

Morgana eyed Merlin carefully before reluctantly agreeing. "Alright… I'm sorry, I just…I'm scared."

"I am too," Merlin gently assured her.

"Is that why you aren't eating?" Morgana asked, smirking.

Merlin groaned, "Not you too!"

"You've gotten even thinner…" Morgana mumbled, noticing how loose Merlin's clothes had become on him.

"Please don't worry about it," Merlin sighed.

"You're my friend," Morgana argued. "And what would Arthur do if he found out you've been starving yourself…?"

Merlin groaned in exasperation and grabbed an apple, taking a large bite out of it. "Better?"

Morgana smiled genuinely.

"A little. Evan brought you all this food, though…"

Rolling his eyes Merlin picked up the goblet and took a large drink from it, gaging when he felt his magic violently react to it.

"Merlin?" Morgana exclaimed, fear evident in her voice. Shaking his head in disbelief Merlin shouted a spell, only for nothing to happen. "Merlin? What happened?" she demanded.

"I… my magic… someone… Gaius's potion…" Merlin stammered.

"Someone's trying to suppress your magic?" Morgana asked, worried.

Merlin numbly nodded his head shaking in fear. "I think we need to talk to Uther…"

忙

Despite their best efforts, though, neither got a chance to speak to Uther or Arthur; both were too busy with meetings to spare them even a minute.

"What do we do?" Morgana asked, trying to keep her voice calm. "Do you think Eva-"

"No," Merlin snapped. "Evan is my friend. He makes the food himself. Someone must have done something to my goblet or something…"

"That servant…" Morgana growled.

"Morgause is up to something. Whatever it is, it's happening soon," Merlin agreed.

夜

Later that night during the feast Merlin desperately looked over at Arthur, who sat stiffly in his chair as Uther celebrated. The King had decided to throw a feast celebrating Morgana's return; but Merlin, Morgana, and Arthur couldn't celebrate. Merlin had managed to corner Arthur before the feast to tell him what had happened before the King called them to join him.

Merlin fought not to roll his eyes as Uther stumbled out of the hall, obviously drunk. Merlin slowly stood and slipped out of the hall. To his relief, out of the corner of his eye he saw Arthur doing the same.

"Are you going to talk to Gaius?" Arthur asked once they were alone.

"Will he really admit to giving me the potion again?" Merlin snapped, frustrated.

"Maybe he didn't," Arthur suggested.

"I don't know anymore," Merlin groaned. "How am I supposed to trust him? He… he caused me to live locked up like a prisoner for fifteen years!"

"Merlin, I understand that you're angry, but you can't just assume the worst," Arthur replied reasonably.

Merlin glared at Arthur halfheartedly before slumping over slightly. "I know…I just…" He froze as an agonized scream rang through the hallway. Without another word Arthur and Merlin tore through the castle and burst out into the courtyard to find Uther cowering on the ground, pointing at the well.

"P-p-please… Ygraine!" Uther shouted, terrified.

"Father?" Arthur asked, kneeling down next to him. Uther violently flinched away from him, screaming in terror.

Knights swarmed into the courtyard, swords drawn only to find a hysterical king and their prince trying in vain to calm him down. Immediately, the knights helped Uther stand and quickly led him back into the castle, Morgana racing out into the courtyard just as they led Uther away.

"Morgana, I think you're right… this seems like Morgause's handiwork," Arthur mumbled to Morgana.

"The question is… how," Merlin muttered. None of them had an answer.


	96. Chapter 96

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay, school was killing me. **

Evan grumbled as he wove through the halls holding Merlin's untouched food. Whenever something bad happened he would just stop eating as if he was too busy to bother himself with things like that. It both frustrated and worried Evan to no end.

"…about the king!?" Evan heard a servant exclaim. He froze.

"What about the king?" Evan asked the girl.

"He had another attack during the council meeting!" she squeaked, terrified.

"I've heard rumors 'bout what's really goin' on," the boy whispered.

"What?" The girl asked, terrified.

The boy carefully looked around before whispering, "People are sayin' it's the Lady Morgana."

"What?" Evan hissed, mortified.

"Yeah!" the boy continued excitedly. "The King's strange attacks started right after she came back to Camelot after bein' a witch's prisoner for a year… Doesn't that say anything?"

"That's insane!" Evan scoffed. "Camelot's never exactly been… safe from magic users."

"That's just it, though!" the boy argued. "Right after she disappeared, Camelot became quiet; no attacks, no strange things happening - nothing! When she comes back, though, it all starts back up again!"

"You really think Morgana is doing this?" Evan asked, stunned.

"It's not just me!" the boy defended. "Th' whole town's thinkin' it!"

"I know Morgana. She would never hurt innocent people like this," Evan snapped.

"How do you know you know the _real_ Morgana?" the girl whispered, pale and terrified.

"We don't!" the boy snapped.

Worried, Evan changed direction and started towards the King's chambers, knowing Merlin and Arthur would be down there by now. Evan frantically knocked on the door, ignoring the strange looks the guards were sending him, slipped past a surprised Gaius and walked over to Merlin and Arthur.

"I think we have a serious problem," Evan informed them softly.

"Oh, so the King losing his mind wasn't one?" Arthur snapped sarcastically.

"I mean another problem," Evan corrected.

"What now?" Arthur groaned.

Evan hesitated for a moment before replying, "The servants are…talking…"

"Don't they usually do that?" Arthur groaned. "We don't have time for games!"

"They think Morgana is doing this!" Evan hurriedly told them right as Gwen ran in, making the three of them freeze.

"Evan, are you sure? You could have misshea-" Arthur began, but Gwen interrupted him.

"I've heard people in the lower town saying the same things."

Arthur looked down at Uther's sleeping form and muttered, "We need to make sure Uther doesn't hear anything. In this state... He's liable to do a lot of things he may not normally do…"

"Evan, can you go through the castle - see what else you can hear?" Merlin quickly asked.

Evan nodded and Gwen added, "I should tell Morgana what's happening."

The pair strode out of Uther's chambers quickly, leaving Gaius, Merlin and Arthur by themselves.

Gaius was about to leave when Merlin hissed, "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?" Gaius asked, startled.

"Don't play stupid!" Merlin growled. "Why did you give me the potion?"

"You want to discuss this now?" Gaius asked, surprised.

"I thought you promised you wouldn't give it to me anymore?" Merlin snapped, enraged. "I can't believe I was stupid enough to believe you when clea-"

"What are you talking about?" Gaius broke in, confused.

"Someone slipped Merlin a potion that suppressed his magic," Arthur explained.

"When?" Gaius asked, worried.

"… Yesterday…" Merlin slowly replied. "Have you made one of those potions?"

"Not since you found out about your magic," Gaius assured.

Merlin could see it in his eyes, he really hadn't done this. "I'm sorry Gaius…" he mumbled.

"It's all right… I'm worried, though. Who could have slipped you something without anyone noticing? I must go through my books; see if there is anything that can explain what is happening to the King…" Gaius muttered before hurrying off.

"I should speak to the council. Cenred's army is on the move and we need to find out why."

"Do you think he's heard about Uther?" Merlin asked, worried.

"That's what we're afraid of," Arthur gravely told him before leaving.

Merlin groaned, collapsing into the chair and hanging his head. He blinked when he noticed a strange black puddle on the floor. Curious, Merlin got down on his knees and reached under the bed, gasping when he touched something slimy. He grabbed the thing and yanked it out to reveal a root-like thing covered in some strange black substance.

Merlin jumped when he heard the door open, relaxing when he saw it was a servant.

"Could you please fetch Gaius?" Merlin asked, looking back at the strange root. "I think I found something important."

The servant sighed and asked, "Why did you have to get involved?"

"Wha-?" Merlin asked, looking up as the servant's eyes flashed gold. Before he could do anything, Merlin was slammed into the wall and knocked unconscious.

When Merlin woke up, he immediately realized he was no longer in Camelot, he was in the forest, the sun burning his face. He was viciously yanked up by a burly man to face Morgause.

"You know, if you had left well enough alone, you might have been able to live," Morgause growled.

"You expect me to sit back and let you kill the king?" Merlin asked.

"You agree with his persecution of my people?" Morgause demanded.

"No, but he doesn't deserve to die!" Merlin exclaimed.

"So my people must die in his place?" Morgause demanded. Before Merlin could answer she sighed, "It's not like you could ever understand what we magic users must go through… hate, persecution, _murder_."

"Killing Uther won't solve anything!" Merlin exclaimed.

"Camelot will soon fall," Morgause informed him, "but you won't be alive to see it." That was when Merlin noticed the Serkets creeping in. "Say goodbye to Camelot, Merlin, for it won't be around for long after you are gone."

下

Something was wrong, Morgana could feel it. No one had seen Merlin since morning and it was almost nightfall. Even Arthur was starting to get worried.

"The best we can do is send a search party out in the morning if he hasn't turned up…" Arthur muttered, clearly worried.

"What if something bad has happened to him?" Morgana demanded.

"We have no idea where he's gone or why; it's too dark to search… what can I do?" Arthur snapped, frustrated.

"I just hope he's alright…" Morgana muttered.

"We both do," Arthur agreed.

左

At first, Merlin had hoped help might come, but quickly he realized that would not happen. Merlin desperately tried to fight off the Serkets, the chains binding him magically enforced so he couldn't escape, when agony ripped through his back. Merlin shouted a spell that sent the offending Serket flying, but the damage had been done. Desperate, Merlin shouted in dragon tongue, begging Kilgharrah to help him, knowing it was a vain hope. Merlin's vision quickly became blurry as he weakly shouted a few more spells, hoping to keep the Serkets away for just a little longer… Distantly, Merlin was sure he heard a roar before darkness consumed him.


	97. Chapter 97

**A/N**

**Sorry about the delay, I****'****ve been job hunting and it takes up a lot of time. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

Merlin wasn't sure what was happening around him, all he could think about was the pain. It felt like everything was on fire. Then relief came; a cool and soothing presence overwhelmed him, alleviating the worst of the pain. A soothing voice filled him saying, _sleep, young warlock, _and Merlin feel into sweet oblivion.

道

The next time Merlin woke the pain was still there, but it was bearable. Merlin weakly tried to sit up only to fall back down, groaning in pain. When he fell back down he realized he was no longer in the forest, nor was he in Camelot. He was on what appeared to be a dead mountain. Then his eyes feel on Kilgharrah.

"You saved me…" Merlin whispered hoarsely. "I… I didn't think you'd come."

"You and I are kin," Kilgharrah informed him. "I could not ignore your call, even if I wanted to."

"Thank you…" Merlin said, trying to sit up again only to fall back down again, groaning in pain.

"I have given you a spell to help you heal," Kilgharrah explained, "but it will take time. You must rest."

Merlin didn't get a chance to say anything. His eyes quickly became too heavy for him to keep open and he slipped into oblivion.

魚

Though he didn't show it, Arthur was worried out of his mind. Merlin was his best friend and he was missing, and no one knew why or how. Despite knowing better, Arthur kept thinking of the sickly boy he had grown up with, weak and unable to even take care of himself. Merlin would kill him if he ever found out Arthur still saw him as weak. Arthur just wanted to protect Merlin, and he couldn't do that if he didn't know where Merlin was.

"You wished to see me, Sire?" Leon asked, stepping into Arthur's chambers.

Sighing, Arthur turned to Leon, finally letting his worry show. Besides Merlin and Morgana, Leon was one of the few people he called a friend.

"I'm worried about Merlin," he admitted. "He's been gone since yesterday morning…"

"Would you like me to send out a search party?" Leon asked, knowing what Arthur was thinking.

"Don't let my father know," Arthur warned. "He's getting worse by the day, I don't want to worry him."

"Of course," Leon assured, bowing, before heading towards the door. He paused before leaving and added, "Merlin will be alright. He's tough."

Arthur stiffly nodded as Leon tuned and left.

"…please be ok…"

字

Try as he might, Leon couldn't explain what was happening in Camelot. First Morgana went missing for a year, now Merlin had vanished into thin air. Leon feared it would be a long time before they found him, if they ever did.

"Do you think it's true?" one of the young knights, Derek hissed to the knight beside him.

"Do I think what's true?" Leon asked, startling the knights.

Derek looked over at the other knights who refused to look at him or Leon. Finally, Derek sighed and explained, "The rumors about the Lady Morgana being… evil…" Leon roughly pulled on the reigns of his horse to face his now frightened men.

"What possessed you to think _that_?" Leon growled.

"Well… it makes sense!" Derek defended.

Gareth, another knight, reluctantly added, "She disappears for a year then when she returns the king starts losing his mind. Isn't that a little strange?"

Leon huffed. "Next you'll be telling me Merlin is a madman bent on Camelot's destruction," he growled. When the two younger men did not answer, Leon groaned in exasperation and turned away from them. "Merlin _and Morgana_ are the kindest people you could ever meet, why would either of them want to hurt someone?"

"Do we really know them, though?" Derek demanded.

"I've known them since they were children," Leon sighed.

"Whoever took Morgana could have changed her, though!" Gareth defended.

Leon was about to reply when he spotted something. He held up his hand to silence them, putting everyone on high alert. Leon slowly got off of his horse and made his way to the edge of the forest, the other knights close behind him.

When Leon managed to take in what he was really seeing, fear settled in the pit of his stomach. An army - a huge one - was camped in the valley, clearly heading straight for Camelot.

"Cenred…" Gareth growled, fury lacing his words.

"He must have heard about the king and decided to attack," Derek added, voice shaking.

"We must get back to Camelot and tell Arthur," Leon ordered.

"What about Merlin?" Derek asked.

Leon hated thinking about it, but he knew it was the truth, "If Merlin was out there… he's dead by now…" Leon's face contorted with pain thinking about it. "He's one man… hundreds will die if we don't get back to Camelot _now_."

No one argued as they hurried back to their horses and galloped full speed back to Camelot.

夕

When Merlin awoke the second time, he knew something was wrong. He wasn't sure exactly what it was that told him, or even what was wrong, but he knew that he _had_ to get back to Camelot. Fast.

Merlin slowly sat up, noting with satisfaction that his back didn't burn too painfully when he did so.

"I need to get back to Camelot," Merlin informed Kilgharrah, who continued to watch him dutifully.

"It is a three days walk, you are not strong enough to make it that far," Kilgharrah warned.

Merlin grinned up at Kilgharrah innocently. "I don't plan on walking there."

毎

Everything was crumbling before Arthur's very eyes. His father was rapidly deteriorating, his best friend was supposedly dead, and now Cenreds men were marching straight for Camelot. He wasn't the King! He didn't know how to handle this! Leon and Gaius, though, insisted that Arthur was ready and that he needed to lead them.

Arthur sat alone in his chambers, thinking hard about the events of the past few days. Could he really lead them? Wouldn't that be betraying his father? The man he swore his loyalty to? Arthur's expression darkened as he thought about his father, who didn't seem to have the same devotion to his son or wards. What would Merlin be saying to him? Merlin… thinking about his missing friend made him even more miserable and confused. Was Leon right? Was his best friend dead? No, he had to believe that he would be ok. What was he supposed to do, though…

"Arthur?" a voice that Arthur wasn't sure he'd ever hear again asked weakly.

Arthur looked up at an exhausted Merlin. "_Merlin!_" he exclaimed, standing up and pulling the younger man into a rough hug before shoving him away and demanding, "What the hell _happened_ to you?"

"Umm… well I found something under Uther's bed and a servant saw me find it and knocked me out. Next thing I know I was chained up in the forest with Morgause…"

"A _servant_ attacked you!" Arthur shouted, looking horrified.

Merlin rolled his eyes and continued, "With magic. Morgause enchanted the chains so I couldn't escape. After she left, serkets started attacking me and I got stung-"

"You got stung!" Arthur shouted, mortified.

"_Yes, _now please shut up and let me finish!" Merlin snapped, glaring at Arthur, who promptly shut his mouth. "So I called Kilgharrah. Yes, the dragon. He's on our side now, and he healed me and brought me back to Camelot."

Arthur stared at Merlin for a minute, seeing once again how exhausted he looked and pulled him into another hug.

"They said you were dead…" Arthur whispered. He could practically see Merlin grinning as he replied.

"Oh it was just a little serket sting, nothing I can't handle."

Arthur couldn't help but laugh weakly and pull away, realization suddenly dawning on him. "That thing you found under Uther's bed… could it be what's… making him sick?"

Merlin's eyes widened comically. "Of course!"

The pair immediately ran off towards Uther's chambers, ignoring the shouts of the servants and knights they ran past. When they reached Uther's chambers Merlin raced over to the bed and reached under it to pull out a strange root-like thing covered in a thick dark brown liquid. Without even thinking about it, Merlin chucked whatever it was into the fire, causing the flames to rise and Merlin to wince painfully.

"You okay?" Arthur asked, worried.

"Didn't you hear that?" Merlin asked, confused.

"Hear what?" Arthur asked, slightly worried.

"The scream!" Merlin exclaimed.

Arthur slowly shook his head, causing Merlin's face to fall.

"I think we should talk to Gaius…"


	98. Chapter 98

**A/N**

**Sorry for the delay guys, I****'****ve been super busy lately but I finally finished this. **

"Do you know what it could have been?" Merlin asked Gaius after he explained what had happened.

"If I understand what you have described, I believe that it was a mandrake root that was causing Uther's illness," Gaius informed them.

"What's a mandrake root?" Merlin asked.

"The mandrake root pierces the victim's soul, twisting everything they see into their worst nightmares. This would explain Uther's actions as of late," Gaius commented.

"But why did I hear a scream?" Merlin asked, confused.

"Only those with magic can hear it," Gaius explained.

"Will he be alright?" Arthur asked, not tearing his eyes off his father.

"He should make a full recovery," Gaius assured.

"Who could have done this?" Arthur whispered, continuing to watch Uther as he rested peacefully.

"Camelot has many enemies, Arthur," Gaius muttered. "Any one of them could have been responsible."

"How did the mandrake get here, though?" Merlin wondered. "Only a select few people are allowed in here, and there are guards constantly outside watching anyone coming in or out."

"Are you saying that there is a traitor in our midst?" Arthur asked, worried.

"How else could the root have gotten in here?" Merlin asked, concerned.

"Our main focus should be on Cenred," Gaius informed them.

"Cenred? What does he have to do with anything?" Merlin asked, looking between Gaius and Arthur in confusion.

"Cenred's army is heading straight for Camelot," Arthur explained.

"What?" Merlin shouted, horrified.

"While searching for you, Leon spotted Cenred's army heading towards Camelot," Arthur explained.

"What are we going to do?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"I believe we should try and negotiate with Cenred. It will at least buy us some time," Gaius suggested, eyeing Arthur.

"I know Cenred; he won't be willing to negotiate, so I'm having the knights prepare for a siege. The castle has never been taken before. It will not be taken now!"

"What about the servant?" Gaius asked. "Do you remember what he looked like?"

Merlin sadly shook his head. "No. He attacked me before I could get a good look at him."

"I'll have the guards on high alert. They will report anything suspicious to me," Arthur assured. "I must oversee the preparations… be careful, Merlin, okay?"

"Don't worry. I will," Merlin assured.

Arthur smiled weakly before turning and leaving, followed closely by Merlin, who needed to find Morgana and talk to her.

寒

"_Merlin!_" a voice exclaimed as Merlin was pulled into a crushing hug.

"Morgana, I'm fine!" Merlin assured her.

"What happened to you?" Morgana asked, pushing Merlin back slightly.

"Morgana, you were right. I think Morgause is behind this," Merlin began. "Someone with magic attacked me and when I woke up the chains holding me were enchanted."

"How did you escape?" Morgana whispered, horrified.

"It's a long story…" Merlin said softly, carefully scanning around to see if anyone was listening. "But I had some help. I don't have time to explain everything right now, but I promise I will. Keep an eye out for the servant you saw, there is a traitor in Camelot."

Unbeknownst to the pair, a servant slipped out of the castle, worry etched across his features.

外

Merlin hurried to his chambers, knowing he needed to talk to Evan, just so the servant knew he was alright.

"My lord!" Evan exclaimed when the door opened to reveal an exhausted Merlin.

"Miss me?" Merlin asked, grinning slightly.

"What happened to you?" Evan asked, carefully scanning Merlin to see if he was injured.

"It's… complicated…" Merlin once again vaguely explained, wary of unwanted listeners. "I know I owe you an explanation but right now I could really use a good meal." Evan nodded and started towards the door, pausing at the doorway to look at Merlin.

"You're planning on going out there with the knights, aren't you?" Evan stated.

"You know I can take care of myself," Merlin sighed, tired of always having the same conversation.

"Friends worry about each other…" Evan mumbled before slipping out the door. _You__'__re my friend too__…_ Merlin sadly thought before pulling out a spell book.

悪

Morgause glared through the forest impatiently. She did not like being pulled away from her work without good reason, but her spy had contacted her demanding they meet, so Morgause had left Cenred and had come impatiently, waiting for an answer.

"My lady," a cloaked figure greeted, bowing to Morgause.

"This had better be important," Morgause snapped.

"Merlin lives!" the servant hissed. "He will have told Arthur by now about the mandrake root and that there is a traitor in Camelot!"

Morgause's face twisted into rage as she snarled, "How did he escape?"

"I don't know," the man weakly replied.

Morgause took a deep breath to calm herself before stiffly informing him, "It does not matter. Cenred's army is less than a day from Camelot."

"Arthur is preparing for a siege, and Camelot has never been taken!"

Morgause smirked and revealed a staff. "This is the staff carved from the rowan tree on the isle of the blessed. It has the power to take Camelot down from the inside. Use it," Morgause ordered handing the staff to the man.

"I understand…but what if I get caught?" the mass hissed.

"I suggest you don't," Morgause warned. "Know this: if you fail me, Uther's wrath will be the least of your problems."

寂

Though night had long since fallen over the city, the castle was filled with bustling people preparing for the upcoming battle. Merlin was carefully weaving through the crowd, trying to remain as unnoticed as possible; he need not have worried, though, because the knights were too busy preparing the city to notice the King's ward running about.

Merlin soon spotted the Prince, who was working just as hard to prepare the city as the other knights. To most, Arthur would have looked calm and collected; ready for battle. But Merlin had known the Arthur his whole life; he knew that under Arthur's calm exterior, he was afraid for his people. Arthur loved the people of Camelot more than anything, something that would one day make Arthur a great king.

"Arthur, you've done everything you can," Merlin informed Arthur, who didn't even look back at Merlin as he continued down the hall.

"What if it isn't enough?" Arthur muttered.

"I've seen your plans, Arthur, and they are amazing! No one could have created a better siege plan than this," Merlin assured him.

"I've never led an army before. Not like this, at least…" Arthur whispered.

"We all believe in you, Arthur. The only person here doubting you is yourself," Merlin informed him.

Before Arthur could respond the warning bells started ringing. "They're here…" Arthur whispered.

The battle for Camelot had begun.


	99. Chapter 99

After the warning bells started ringing the castle erupted into chaos, forcing Evan to fight his way through the crowds, trying to find Merlin. Evan stopped a few guards to ask if they had seen him, but they were all more worried about the warning bells than the King's missing ward.

"Evan!" Gwen called, pushing her way through the crowd.

"Have you seen Merlin?" Evan asked hopefully.

Gwen sighed sadly and shook her head. "No, but Gaius could really use all of our help."

So Evan found himself in the council chambers, trying to tend to an alarming number of people. He was relieved when he noticed that Arthur and Merlin weren't among the injured. His relief quickly turned into worry again when he saw the number of injured men being brought in. Soon, Evan spotted Arthur bringing an injured Uther.

Evan was surprised to see the King in his armor and fighting so soon after his recovery. As Evan made his way over to Merlin, he heard Arthur saying, "… Lower town has been taken. We need to evacuate the King!"

"With the lower town taken there is no way we could escape," Gaius sadly informed them.

Arthur firmly nodded his head. "Well if it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get."

"Arthur, this is looking more and more like a fight you just can't win…" Merlin mumbled.

"I will not sit back and let them take this kingdom!" Arthur snapped.

"Arthur -" Merlin began, looking solemn.

"Merlin," Arthur snapped back.

"Just… be careful…" Merlin mumbled.

Arthur nodded his head and left the group.

"I need to be out there with the knights!" Uther exclaimed, trying to stand up.

"Uther, you are too badly injured!" Gaius exclaimed, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"My son is out there!" Uther snapped.

"He is more than capable of taking care of himself," Gaius gently assured.

Merlin froze when he spotted a servant slipping out of the council chambers, taking great care to not be seen. He frowned and hurried after the servant, who looked strangely familiar…

"Merlin!" Leon exclaimed, stepping in front of him.

"Where are you going? We are being invaded! You can't go wandering around the castle!"

Merlin peered around Leon, groaning when he realized the servant was gone. He took a deep breath to compose himself before saying, "I understand, Leon, but I really have to…"

"Leon!" Arthur called, interrupting Merlin. Arthur quickly joined the pair. "Cenred's army is heading towards the citadel; we have to stop their advance."

Leon nodded and looked back at Merlin. "Please stay here," he said. "It's safer."

"Until the army gets here," Merlin mumbled as Leon and Arthur headed out.

Merlin grumbled under his breath: "prat," before going off in the direction he'd seen the servant go. Unfortunately, with all the people bustling about, Merlin couldn't figure out where the servant had gone. After asking several wandering people if they'd seen anything, Merlin realized in all the chaos no one would be paying attention to a servant.

Merlin sighed in frustration before heading back to the unofficial infirmary. The room seemed to have filled with even more injured men in the few minutes had been gone. He furrowed his eyebrows. How long until Cenred's men overwhelmed them?

"Merlin, look!" Morgana exclaimed, running up to Merlin, her voice shaking.

Merlin frowned and ran over to the window, gasping when his mind processed what he was seeing. Skeletons - moving skeletons - were attacking the knights along with Cenred's army. And from the looks of things, they were winning.

"They appeared out of nowhere!" Morgana exclaimed worriedly.

"Morgause…" Merlin muttered.

"What do we do?" Morgana asked.

Merlin frowned. "I saw a servant acting suspiciously earlier, but I lost him. I think maybe he was the one who attacked me."

"Where would he have gone?" Morgana asked.

"I think we should probably split up and search the quieter areas of the castle to see if we can find anything suspicious."

"Is that safe?" Morgana asked, frowning.

Merlin gestured to the skeleton army and dryly replied, "Is anything safe at this point? I'll head down to the dungeons and see what I can find."

"Alright… I'll head up to the north tower; usually it's pretty quiet up there. Meet back here in an hour."

Merlin nodded and the pair split up, Morgana heading up and Merlin down. The dungeons were strangely empty with not a single guard in sight. Merlin knew that the main priority right now was to protect the city, but he had thought _someone _would stay to guard the prisoners. Maybe Uther didn't care if they escaped or were killed anymore. Too many people had been killed already.

Merlin rounded a corner into a large chamber and froze. In the center of the room, a staff was deeply embedded into the ground. It was giving off a faint glow. The servant Merlin had seen earlier was standing guard.

"You just can't take a hint, can you?" the servant growled, glaring at Merlin.

"You're committing treason!" Merlin shouted.

"Not that _you_ would understand, but Uther has betrayed me and my people!" the servant replied. "He claims that he only hates "dark" magic, but we both know it's a lie. Any magic is dark to him; to him, my people are all monsters that deserve to die."

"What Uther has done is wrong, but will slaughtering more innocent people make this right?"

"Uther's reign must end…" the man growled.

"Arthur is a good man. You will be free once he is ki-" Merlin began, but he was cut off by the enraged servant.

"Arthur will be just like Uther! A mad, power hungry tyrant! I will end the Pendragon reign. I will give peace back to Camelot!" The servant thrust his arm at Merlin shouting a spell and sending Merlin flying. Merlin groaned in pain and tried to get back up but was pushed back down by the servant. "I will finish you precious Prince and will watch as the rightful quee-" The servant gasped in pain and collapsed to the ground unconscious to reveal Morgana, rage written across her features.

"You will _not _hurt anyone else!" she spat.

"Remind me to never get you angry." Merlin picked himself up from the stone floor.

Morgana smirked slightly and agreed, "Why don't you tell Arthur that?"

"We need to stop the Cenred's army. Destroying this might just do that…" Merlin muttered.

Morgana smirked and lifted her sword, swinging it at the staff and breaking it in half.

公

Arthur was exhausted. He'd been fighting what seemed to be an infinite army for hours now and it didn't seem like it would end anytime soon. He was quickly starting to feel the pain and weakness from his injuries. His men were rapidly falling and Cenred's army was continuing to advance. It was hopeless…

The skeletons suddenly froze before collapsing into a pile of dust. Both armies froze, stunned by the sudden change in the tide. Just as quickly as Cenred's army had advanced they were now retreating and being chased down by the remaining knights of Camelot.

"Merlin…" Arthur muttered, grinning. They were going to live, they had won the battle!

私

The next day, Uther sat at the throne, beaming down at his people. Shortly after the battle had ended, Morgana and Merlin had found Arthur and explained what happened. In the after-battle chaos, the servant had managed to escape Camelot. Though Merlin was worried, Arthur believed that the servant would not come back.

"If not for Morgana's bravery, the battle would have been lost!" Uther loudly declared, surprising Morgana and Merlin. Morgana was quickly pushed to stand next to Uther who continued, "Morgana found the traitor and defeated him, turning the tide of the battle for us!"

After the ceremony, Morgana went to find Arthur and Merlin.

"I don't know why he said that!" she said. "I tried to tell him what you did, bu-"

"Morgana," Merlin cut her off, smiling. "It's alright. This… I think this could be good for you. If the people see that you're trying to help protect them they'll stop thinking that you're a traitor!"

"I hope so…" Morgana muttered worriedly.

立

Deep in the forest, the servant kneeled in-front of Morgause, trembling.

"M-my lady… please forgive me!" The servant pleaded.

Morgause scoffed at the trembling man and replied, "I warned you what would happen if you failed me… yet you dare come back begging for forgiveness!"

"I-I only wish to serve you!" The servant stammered.

Morgause scoffed and snapped, "Than you should not have failed." Morgause hissed a spell, causing the servant to collapse to the ground screaming in agony before falling silent. "You think you've won, Uther… this is only the beginning. My sister will sit on the throne…the high priestesses of the old religion will rule over Camelot once more."

**End Notes**

**Guess what guys? GWAINE IS NEXT! **


	100. Chapter 100

Merlin knew Uther would kill him if he found out that he had gone into town alone, but he couldn't stay in the castle any longer. Merlin sighed, wondering why his guardian was so paranoid these days. The worst of it was whenever he caught Uther glaring at him as if he knew something.

Merlin paused outside the Rising Sun for a moment before walking inside. Normally, Merlin didn't like drinking - but after wandering in the hot sun for an hour, getting out of the sun and having something cold to drink was far too tempting. Seconds after Merlin sat down, a barmaid walked up to him saying,

"You're a handsome fellow."

"Ummm… Thanks?" Merlin replied, grinning slightly.

She winked at him before wandering off, leaving a slightly confused Merlin behind.

"Looks like you've got yourself an admirer," a voice dryly commented, making Merlin jump.

"What are you doing here?" Merlin demanded, glaring at Arthur as he sat down at the table.

Arthur shrugged. "Oh I just thought I'd take a stroll through town, then I saw you wandering in here."

Merlin groaned "Does Uther know I'm gone?" he asked.

"Not yet," was all Arthur could say before a very tall man threw the doors open and stomped up to the barmaid, whipping out a knife.

"Give me the money!" the man hissed.

"I don't have enough!" the barmaid protested. This only seemed to anger the man ever more.

Arthur glared at him, standing up and marching over to the pair. "Hey, leave her alone."

The man turned to Arthur and growled, "You're going to pay for that."

Merlin smirked. "I'd like to see you try." Even without his sword Arthur could easily beat this bully.

The man smirked triumphantly and whistled loudly. A dozen large men walked into the bar and surrounded Arthur, all glaring at the pair menacingly.

"Idiot…" Arthur muttered.

Merlin groaned.

A man who had been sitting stood and casually walked over to Arthur. "Quite the mess you've gotten yourself into eh?"

"You should leave while you still can," Arthur informed the man, eyeing the menacing group warily.

"Probably," the man agreed, handing the first thug the jug he'd been holding. While the man looked at the jug in confusion, the newcomer punched the first man, starting an all-out brawl. Merlin instantly hid and used magic to try and knock down some of the thugs. He hoped with all the chaos no one would notice the plates flying straight to their targets or wonder how they were being thrown so hard.

The man who helped them appeared next to Merlin, punching a man that had been sneaking up on him.

"Pass that tankard?"

Merlin obliged and the man took a long drink from it before asking, "So what do they call you?"

"Merlin. And you?" Merlin replied.

"Gwaine," the man said, using the tankard to punch another man charging at the pair. "Such a waste," Gwaine lamented before barrelling into the fight once more.

Merlin smirked slightly before turning his attention back to the plates.

Out of the corner of his eye, Merlin noticed the man fighting Arthur pulling out a knife. Before Merlin could say or do anything, Gwaine ran over and tackled the man, getting stabbed in the leg in the process.

The doors burst open and guards rushed in and picked up the ringleader from his position on the floor.

"Prince Arthur, are you alright?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Yes, but this man needs to see Gaius. He saved my life."

Arthur and Merlin were so concerned helping Gwaine that they missed the look of pure rage on the man's face as he was dragged away by the guards.

試験

"What happened?" Uther demanded once Arthur and Merlin had made it back to castle.

"Merlin and I went to the tavern this afternoon. While we were there, we saw that man attacking the barmaid," Arthur explained.

"You were together?" Uther snapped, glaring at Merlin.

"Yes, he came with me," Merlin calmly assured, causing Uther to sigh and respond,

"Well… you weren't alone… just be more careful, Merlin."

Merlin weakly nodded and left, followed closely by Arthur.

"What did Gaius say?" Arthur asked once they were out of the throne room.

"He'll be fine," Merlin assured. "Gaius says he just needs some rest and he'll be as good as new."

"I just don't understand why he saved me…" Arthur mumbled.

Smirking, Merlin calmly responded, "Because he didn't know how much of a royal prat you are!"

"I am not a prat!" Arthur snapped, glaring at Merlin.

"'Course not," Merlin agreed sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "What is your father going to do about the man who attacked you?"

"Apparently his name is Dagr," Arthur explained. "Since he was drunk, my father decided to throw him in the stocks for the day and then have guards take him out of the city."

"But he attacked you!" Merlin explained.

"He claims he didn't know who I was," Arthur replied sourly.

"That doesn't make any sense, at all," Merlin informed Arthur, slightly concerned. Normally Merlin didn't like severely punishing people for crimes, but this man seemed very dangerous.

"It is his decision and I can't find a real reason to go against it," Arthur responded tensely.

Merlin grumbled slightly but dropped the subject, not willing to argue with Arthur.

"He'll be out of the city soon, at least…" Merlin conceded reluctantly.

"Exactly," Arthur agreed. "Besides, we need to focus on things more important than criminal matters."

"You mean the silly tournament where knights run around beating each other senseless until only one is left standing?"

"There's more to it than that," Arthur argued.

"All I see is men running around hitting each other with blunt weapons for no good reason."

Arthur sighed exasperatedly, as if he were talking to a child. "The melee is the ultimate test of strength and courage."

"You sure we're talking about the same thing?" Merlin asked, smirking.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand; _you_ are not a knight," Arthur shot back.

"Well if it means I don't get clobbered on the head, I'm ok with that," Merlin replied, still grinning.

Arthur glared at Merlin and punched his shoulder, causing Merlin to wince.

"Why'd you do that?"

"If you were a knight you'd understand," Arthur mocked.

直

Dagr was furious. All day he was trapped in the stocks getting pelted with rotten fruit and mocked by common filth, all because of the little brat, Arthur. He thought that just because he was the prince he could prance around and do whatever he wanted? No, Dagr would teach the brat a lesson, and then he would skewer him. Oh yes, the Prince would pay for his stunt.

**End Notes**

**So what did you think of Gwaine? **


	101. Chapter 101

**A/N**

**I am SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO sorry for the delay! I recentl;y got a job and well it's been keeping me busy. I worked 8 days straight ugg. ANyways here is the next chapter. Hopefully when winter break comes I'll have plenty of time to write :) **

* * *

><p>Merlin was in Gaius's chambers when Gwaine woke up the next day and stumbled down the stairs into the main room.<p>

"'Morning!" Merlin greeted brightly.

"Why am I in the castle?" Gwaine asked, looking around in confusion.

"You saved the prince so-" Merlin began.

"I saved the prince?" Gwaine asked, looking almost angry at the thought.

"Do you dislike the nobility?" Merlin asked, slightly concerned.

"No… my father was a knight," was all Gwaine would say.

"Why did you help us?"

"You looked like you wouldn't be able to win… I like those kinds of odds," Gwaine replied.

Merlin was about to say something else when someone knocked at the door, entering without waiting for a response.

Striding over to Merlin, Leon began, "The king wishes to speak to you."

Merlin groaned, realizing Uther must have found out about his outing. "If you need anything the servants will help you," Merlin informed Gwaine before turning and following Leon out.

Merlin tried to calm himself as Leon led him to the throne room.

"Is it true he saved Prince Arthur?" Leon asked, once they were out of Gaius's chambers.

"Yes," Merlin replied, not bothering to ask how Leon knew.

"I may not be a fan of his…drinking habits, but I can't fault him for saving the Prince," Leon commented.

"You've met him before?" Merlin asked, slightly surprised.

"I've run into him in some of Camelot's taverns…" Leon explained.

Merlin smirked slightly at Leon's exasperated tone and asked, "Does he usually get into trouble?"

"The question should be is he ever not in trouble," Leon grumbled as he pulled the door to the throne room open.

"Thank you," Merlin mumbled, stepping inside and trying to remain calm as the door slammed behind him.

Uther looked angry.

Merlin slowly approached the throne, silently wondering what he'd done to make Uther so furious.

"So… you and Arthur went to the lower town today and got into some… trouble," Uther began, glaring at Merlin.

Merlin sighed dejectedly, not seeing any reason to lie to his guardian.

"Yes, I-" Merlin began, trying to explain, but Uther cut him off.

"You do realize that you are no longer children and cannot run off whenever you feel like it. Arthur has responsibilities that he cannot attend to if he is gallivanting through the lower town with you!"

Merlin tried to not look too relieved when he realized Uther didn't know he'd gone alone. Merlin tried to look chastised. "I assure you it won't happen again."

Uther scoffed but didn't say anything else on the subject. "Just make sure that Gwaine fellow stays out of trouble," Uther sighed. "The knights participating in the melee will be arriving today and I don't want him giving them a bad impression of Camelot."

Merlin bowed deeply. "I'll keep an eye on him."

Uther sighed and dismissed Merlin, who tried to remain calm until he was outside the throne room. Once the door shut Merlin collapsed against the door, sighing in relief.

"What did he want?" Leon asked, grinning slightly.

"He just wanted to remind me Arthur was the prince and couldn't be goofing off. And he wants me to keep Gwaine out of trouble…"

"Too late for that," Arthur sighed, approaching the pair.

Merlin groaned and reluctantly asked, "What happened?"

"He's at the tavern buying everyone drinks with money he doesn't have," Arthur calmly informed Merlin.

"Where is he now?" he sighed.

"In Gaius's chambers, sobering up… for now," Arthur replied, glaring at Merlin.

"What…?" Merlin began, confused by Arthur's anger.

"He bought two dozen pickled eggs!" Arthur shouted, glaring at Merlin.

"How is that _my_ fault?" Merlin demanded, frustrated with Arthur's prat-ish attitude.

"He wouldn't be my problem if you hadn't decided to run off!" Arthur snapped.

Merlin's anger melted instantly. "So you want me to be a prisoner?"

Arthur looked horrified as he hastily tried to explain, "No that's not what-"

"My lord, I'm so sorry I haven't checked on you today!" Evan exclaimed, running up to the pair.

"Don't worry, it-… Evan, are you ok?" Merlin finally got a good look at the servant and realized that he looked exhausted. Heavy bags sat beneath his eyes and his clothes were rumpled like he hadn't changed them in a while.

"Fine, my Lord… Sir Ethan and Sir Oswald came in last night and needed me to attend them… I… they've kept me busy…" Evan reluctantly explained.

"Sir Ethan and Oswald have been my friends for many years and are always kind to servants," Arthur snapped, glaring at Evan. "I do not believe they would torment a servant for the sake of it."

"He didn't say they were tormenting him!" Merlin argued, glaring back at Arthur.

Arthur huffed in annoyance, turning to Evan. "I was going to meet them in the training field. Why don't you come along and we can sort this out."

Evan weakly tried to protest but Arthur was already marching, not looking back to see Evan and Merlin following reluctantly.

Arthur's smirk faltered when he entered the training field and found Ethan and Oswald throwing daggers at an apple that was perched on top of a servants head.

Arthur frowned slightly as he walked over to them. "Why don't you use that energy for a little practice?" he asked, causing both to whirl around, startled.

Ethan smirked slightly and whipped out his sword, charging at Arthur. Still looking troubled, Arthur easily blocked the blow and they continued fighting. Ethan threw another wild swing at Arthur, who easily side-stepped it and knocked Ethan over, frowning.

"You've gotten sloppy…" Arthur muttered, walking off towards Merlin and Evan. He brushed past the pair and walked straight into the castle.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, quickly following after the prince.

Arthur didn't say anything to them as he quickly wove through the crowds, making his way to his chambers. Merlin could tell something was really bothering him, but he couldn't figure out _what_.

"Arthur, what's going on?" Merlin asked.

Arthur looked back at Merlin, a troubled look on his face and explained, "Ethan is left handed…"

"So?" Merlin asked.

"If he's always been left handed, why did he fight me today with his right?" Arthur asked.

"Are you sure he was left handed?" Merlin asked uncertainly.

"I'm positive!" Arthur snapped, glaring at Merlin. "I think Evan was onto something."

"I never…" Evan began, paling slightly.

"Stop putting words in his mouth!" Merlin grumbled, glaring at Arthur.

"He was thinking it," Arthur grumbled.

"He is standing right next to us," Merlin retorted.

"It's fine…" Evan muttered, trying desperately to calm both men down.

"Just tell him he's a prat!"

"Uhh…" Evan mumbled, looking uncertainly between the pair.

"Look, we're getting way off track here," Arthur informed them, shaking his head. "How... what could possibly be going on?"

"Arthur, I agree that this is weird, but let's not jump to conclusions," Merlin said slowly.

"If I may?" Evan interjected. "I can look around their chambers, see if there's anything unusual going on?"

"It's… not preferable, but… that may be for the best…" Arthur muttered worriedly.

"What the prat is trying to say is be careful."

"Of course," Evan assured.


	102. Chapter 102

**A/N**

**Hey guys, yea, I know it's been over a year since I last updated and I honestly believed people weren't interested anymore since I'd been gone so long but recently I got several new readers so I decided to get back on again. Now as for why the long hiatus started I know for a while I haven't been as good on updating, and I know I keep having excuses for why this keeps happening, but it just keeps happening. In the past year both my parents have been laid off, my father has moved to a different state for work, my parents have been fighting, and my dad keeps threatening to never visit us again. My parents' marriage has become very strained and with that on top of school I have been extremely stressed and have had an extremely hard time writing. Also, the Merlin series final just make it so hard to write this story. I don't want to promise I will update regularly, but I will promise I will try and update this as often as I can and that I **_**will**_** finish this story someday. It may take a lot longer than I thought when I first started, but I will get there. **

Evan didn't trust the knights, and he hated sneaking into their chambers, but someone had to do it and it was relatively easy to explain why a servant was in the knight's chambers. A crown prince's presence would certainly cause suspicion. Evan continued shuffling around the room, trying his best to not move things around too much while still being thorough in his search. Despite his caution, he knocked one of the dull swords for the tournament while sifting through some papers. Not really thinking, Evan reached out and grabbed the sword. Pain seared though his hand and with a shout he dropped the sword, shocked. Evan inspected his hand and was stunned to find a deep cut. The sword was dull. How could it have cut him so badly?

Evan froze when he heard footstep and without thinking dove inside one of the cabinets to hide. Moments later, Sir Ethan and Sir Oswald stomped into the room, laughing loudly.

"…won't know what hit him!" Sir Ethan was bragging as he sat down heavily in one of the chairs.

_Him_? Evan wondered, confused. He could only guess they meant someone in the tournament.

"What if the King doesn't believe it was an accident?" Sir Oswald asked, looking nervous.

"We don't stick around long enough for him to figure it out," Sir Ethan replied confidently.

_If they're worried about the King…. They must mean Arthur, _Evan realized with growing horror. These men were supposed to be Arthur's friends. Why would they want to kill him?

"Won't that arouse more suspicion though?" Sir Oswald asked.

"It's not like they'll ever find us," Sir Ethan replied, a twisted grin on his face.

The only reason that Evan could think of that would make them think no one could find them was if they were using some sort of disguise, which meant that these men were not Arthur's friends. The men were mostly like sorcerers bent on getting revenge on the King by killing Arthur. To this day, Evan never understood people trying to hurt Arthur for his father's actions. It was sick and made absolutely no sense to the servant.

Laughing, Sir Ethan picked up a bottle that Evan assumed contained mead and took a long drink. The servant clutched his bleeding hand more tightly. He needed to get out and warn Arthur, but he was stuck inside a closet with a bleeding hand. Every second he spent in there increased his risk of being found, and if he was found he wouldn't be able to warn Arthur of the danger. He just had to think of something and think of it fast.

The bells chimed. Grinning, Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan picked up their swords and left. Terrified that he was already too late, Evan ran out of the room towards Merlin's chambers, but before he got very far a man pulled him to a halt.

"Are you okay?" the figure asked.

After a few seconds Evan realized that this was the man who had saved Arthur and Merlin.

"Yes, I'm fine. It's just a small cut," Evan assured.

"That looks like a pretty big cut for something 'small'," the man retorted, studying Evans heavily bleeding hand.

"I really need to speak to Merlin," Evan declared, trying to step around the man.

He was cut off. "Merlin can wait," the man declared, grabbing Evan's arm. "You need to see Gaius."

"I'm fine, really," Evan protested, but the servant's pleas where ignored. Helpless to stop him, Evan found himself dragged into to Gaius's chambers. The physician looked up with a start.

"Gwaine, what are you…What's happened to you, Evan?" Gaius exclaimed, studying Evan's hand, which had mostly stopped bleeding.

Gwaine, that was his name.

"I was cleaning Sir Ethan and Sir Oswalds' chambers when I cut myself on one of their swords," Evan reluctantly explained, shifting uncomfortably. It wasn't a total lie, but Evan felt guilty for not telling the complete truth.

"Shouldn't their swords have been dulled for the tournament?" Gaius asked, staring at Evan sternly.

"Is this why you wanted to talk to Merlin so badly?" Gwaine asked, eyeing Evan suspiciously.

Evan wished he was still in the closet. The servant knew Merlin would not be happy if he found out Evan had been accusing knights of treason without speaking with him first.

"What do you mean?" Evan asked, trying to feign innocence with little success.

"You think they're trying to cheat, don't you?" Gwaine retorted, trying to look at Evan, who was looking anywhere but at Gwaine.

Evan wasn't sure what to do. Though he knew Merlin and Arthur would hate knowing he told someone else that he thought the knights were cheating, he didn't think he'd be able to lie to the older man.

"I… maybe…" Evan reluctantly admitted. Merlin would not by happy with him for this. Evan didn't know what to do, though. He needed to warn Arthur, but he couldn't do that from Gaius's chambers. "Please, I need to take this matter to Merlin before the tournament starts…."

"I'm sorry, Evan, but the tournament has already started," Gaius informed him, making Evan grow pale.

"I think the knights are going to try and kill Arthur. Please, you have to let me go warn him!" Evan begged. There was no point in him trying to hide it. If he didn't get to the tournament soon then Arthur would die.

"You're hurt, Evan. I'll go talk to Merlin. Maybe it's not too late to stop the tournament," Gwaine said decisively. Before Evan could say anything else, Gwaine was running out of Gaius's chambers and down to where the tournament was supposed to take place.

As Gwaine raced through the deserted hallways, he started to regret forcing Evan to go to Gaius's chambers. If Arthur was dead because of that he would never forgive himself. Prince or not, Arthur seemed like a decent person, and even if Arthur wasn't a decent person he did not deserve to die by a coward's hand.

As Gwaine raced out of the castle, he realized the tournament was already about to start. Knowing he was out of time he ran out onto the field shouting, "Stop! Don't start the tournament!"

"What is the meaning of this!" Uther bellowed, glaring at Gwaine.

Looking over at Merlin who was by Uther, Gwaine said, "I have reason to believe two of the competitors are going to cheat in the tournament!" Shocked murmuring filled the arena. Many of the people sitting in the arena looked nervous. Uther, however, was enraged.

"I will not stop the tournament simply because a commoner claims one of these fine knights might be cheating!" Merlin turned and started saying something unintelligible to Uther who turned to Merlin and snapped, "You are the reason this criminal is here! I want that man arrested! I will deal with him after the tournament."

"You have to listen! Your son's- the prince's life is-" Gwaine began, but Uther cut him off.

"Silence!"

"My lord pleas-" Merlin started, but Uther was truly enraged.

"Silence, boy, or I will have you arrested as well!"

"I can't keep quiet if the lives o-" Merlin began but once again Uther cut him off.

"I will not tolerate this! Guards, escort Merlin back to the castle, and take this commoner to the dungeon!"

A pair of guards grabbed Gwaine's arms and started to drag him away. Looking up at the stands, Gwaine saw that the same was being done to Merlin.

Enraged, Merlin thrashed in the guards grip. "Why are you so blind? Your son's life could be in danger! You can't just ignore this!" Merlin's voice faded away as Gwaine was dragged in the opposite direction. He could only hope that Arthur believed him and would figure a way out of the tournament before it was too late. Unbeknownst to either Gwaine or Merlin, Morgana was coming up with a plan of her own.

-

**End Notes**

**My wonderful beta edited the chapter for me so all the errors should be fixed **


	103. Chapter 103

**A/N**

**This is definitely one of my longer chapters but I'm really happy with how it turned out. Anyways I hope you guys enjoy :) Another huge shout out to my wonderful beta who edited this after coming home from a long trip that included a 27 hour flight. She is the best :D**

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><p>Arthur watched stiffly as Gwaine was dragged off by the guards, fear filling him. If what Gwaine was saying was true, and Arthur firmly believed it was, then Sir Ethan and Sir Oswald were up to no good. Arthur just wished he knew <em>how<em> they were going to try and kill him. How could he possibly fight something when he didn't know what he was fighting? Arthur was startled out of his thoughts when Uther announced the start of the match. All Arthur could do now was fight and pray he got through.

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><p>Morgana wasn't sure what she would do once she talked to Gwaine, but she knew that if she didn't do <em>something<em> Arthur would die. _If only it was Uther fighting instead of Arthur__…_ her thoughts whispered darkly. Morgana forced the idea out of her mind. Now was not the time to think about that. Arthur's life was in danger. If she lost focus now he could die.

Morgana started heading towards the dungeon, then froze. Uther would not treat Gwaine kindly after the tournament; she needed to help him escape. She didn't have time to come up with a good plan right now, though. Arthur was in danger, and she needed to figure out how to help him _now_.

Morgana carefully made her way down to the dungeons, not passing a single guard as she did so. She hoped that all the guards had left; it would make her job much easier to do. As she rounded a corner, though, she collided with a surprised Sir Leon.

"My lady!" Leon exclaimed, reaching out to steady Morgana. "I am so sorry I did not see you… what are you doing down here?"

Morgana considered ordering him to leave and not say anything to Uther, but stopped. Leon had always been far more loyal to Arthur than Uther. He and Arthur had been friends for years; surely he would understand her wanting to help Arthur.

"Arthur is in danger. I need to speak with one of the prisoners. He might know how we can save Arthur," Morgana explained, desperate for Leon to understand.

"Would the prisoners name happen to be Gwaine?" Leon asked, smirking slightly.

Morgana fumed. "This is no joking matter! Arthur's life is at stake! And yes, it is Gwaine that I must speak to immediately!"

Laughing, Leon explained, "I'm glad to hear you say that, because Gwaine is already gone."

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><p>Merlin paced his chambers angrily, desperately trying to figure out what was happening. His chambers were a long way from the arena, so he couldn't even hear the tournament. Merlin had considered trying to escape, but there were guards not only outside his door, but below his window as well. He considered using magic, but even if he could somehow get to the arena in time he'd have to figure out what Sir Ethan and Sir Oswald were planning, assuming that they were the knights Gwaine where talking about. Even if he somehow managed to get to the arena and save Arthur he would then have to somehow explain how he managed to knock out the four guards around his chambers along with the other guards he would most likely run into on the way down.<p>

Waiting for someone to give him answers was agony. Arthur could already be dead or dying and Merlin was trapped in his chambers completely useless. The guards had gotten so annoyed with Merlin constantly asking what was happening that they locked the doors so Merlin could no longer open them and refused to answer when he shouted.

Time seemed to slow down as Merlin waited to hear _something_. His worst nightmares flashed through his mind: the guards finally opening the doors to tell him that Arthur was dead. Gwaine being blamed instead of the knights responsible Uther executing Gwaine in his rage…

Merlin shook his head, desperately trying to dislodge the dark thoughts. He needed to know that Arthur was ok and that Gwaine would not be harmed for what he did. Even if Arthur was alright, though, Merlin knew Uther was more unstable than usual and feared for his safety. Maybe Arthur would find a way to help Gwaine escape… if he survived the tournament. Merlin growled in frustration, desperately trying to focus on anything but his friends who were currently in mortal danger.

It was then that Merlin realized he hadn't seen Evan since he'd gone down to see what the knights where up to. With horror, Merlin realized that Evan could have been caught and captured. All he could think about was Evan being tortured for information. Why was he in there? What was he doing? Was he working for Arthur? Did Arthur know anything? If he was captured they might have even killed him…

Merlin collapsed onto his bed, feeling drained. He couldn't stop worrying about all of them, Arthur slowly dying during the tournament and no one realizing until it was too late, Gwaine being executed in the most painful way possible for his 'treason', Evan being killed in a fit of rage by Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan with no one to care that he was gone…

Frantic knocking startled Merlin out of his thoughts. Shaking slightly, Merlin called, "Come in!"

Merlin couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped when Evan ran in.

"Merlin! Gwaine entered the tournament and helped Arthur defeat Sir Ethan and Sir Oswald!"

"Wait… ho-… Gwaine was arrested…" Merlin said, confused.

"He was arrested?" Evan asked.

"Yes… weren't you there the whole time…?" Merlin asked slowly, confusion laced through his words.

"I was late," Evan explained lamely, carefully hiding his hand behind his back, hoping Merlin wouldn't notice the bandages.

"What are you hiding?" Merlin demanded when he noticed that Evan was trying to hide something.

"Nothing…" Evan replied, slowly backing out of the room. "And if you don't need anything else I'll-"

"Evan," Merlin snapped, making the servant freeze. "What are you hiding?"

Looking sheepish, Evan reluctantly showed Merlin his injured hand. "It's just a little cut-" he began.

"A little cut wouldn't have so much wrapping," Merlin retorted, glaring at Evan. "Why won't you tell me what happened?"

"…Ok, I cut myself on Sir Ethan's sword," Evan admitted. "I was going to tell you right away but I ran into Gwaine and he insisted I see Gaius first so I told them about the sword…"

"Evan!" Merlin exclaimed, silencing the servant. "Thank you and I'm sorry you were hurt."

"It's not your fault I'm clumsy," Evan teased, trying to lighten the mood, but Merlin remained somber.

"Yes it is. I mean- not the clumsy part. I mean you wouldn't have been in there if I hadn't asked you."

"I'm pretty sure I offered," Evan countered, grinning at Merlin, who sighed before weakly smiling in return.

Before Merlin could answer there was a loud knock on the door. Merlin took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves.

"Come in."

Much to Merlin's surprise, Uther cautiously entered. Out of the corner of his eye Merlin spotted Evan bowing deeply before slipping out of the room, much to his dismay.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Merlin asked awkwardly after several minutes of silence.

"I think we need to talk…" Uther began.

Merlin felt his rage overwhelm him.

"So _now_ you want to talk. Not when Arthur's _life_ was in danger?"

"Merlin I had no good reason to thi-" Uther began, but Merlin cut him off before he could finish.

"Would you have listened if it had been my mother telling you that there was a knight cheating?" Merlin demanded, finally looking at Uther. "Even though she was just a commoner?"

"Merlin… I…" Uther began, but froze, unsure of how to answer.

Merlin continued to glare at Uther as he growled, "What makes her word is better than Gwaine's, or any other commoner's word? You will believe anything someone of noble blood says to you regardless of any evidence that would prove otherwise. Any commoner is helpless against the nobility you hold in such high regard. If a commoner upsets a nobleman, all the noble have to do is threaten that they'll accuse the commoner of magic or something and they will have to obey because it is their word against the nobility. And we both know whose side you would choose." Merlin could barely contain his anger at the man he once had seen as a father figure. How could he be so blind?

"I do not execute people simply for having magic!" Uther argued.

"You're missing the point! This isn't about who you would or would not execute! This is about the common folk who are terrified to speak out against any nobility doing wrong because they know they will be treated as you treated Gwaine when he tried to warn you." Merlin glared at Uther, who gave Merlin a stern look before replying.

"Why should I have listened to a man I did not know over my trusted knights?"

"You mean the same trusted knights that almost killed Arthur?"

"You couldn't possibly understand," Uther spat.

"You're right," Merlin growled. "I'm just a silly child who has spent his entire life locked up in this prison cell!"

"I've done my best to take care of you-" Uther began.

"Take care of me?" Merlin roared. "You call treating me like a prisoner taking care of me?"

"You're not a prisoner!" Uther snapped, further enraging Merlin.

"How could you possibly know how I've felt for all these years?" Merlin snapped feeling, drained. He hated fighting, he hated that Uther refused to understand. Why was he so afraid of magic? "You can never understand…"

"You were never a prisoner Merlin, you were sick. Very sick…" Uther gently began.

"But I'm not anymore yet you still treat me like some sickly child!" Merlin snapped. "Arthur is my best friend. I…I don't know what I would do if something happened to him…"

"This is why we must trust the knights," Uther explained carefully, placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"More than your family?" Merlin grumbled, stepping away from the King.

"Of course not," Uther assured, but Merlin couldn't believe him. If Uther really cared so much about them, then why did he disregard any warning of danger?

"If you actually cared you would have listened to Gwaine," Merlin retorted, just as a guard entered Merlin's chambers.

"Your majesty, I'm sorry to disturb you but Gaius needs to see you urgently."

"I will see him momentarily," Uther snapped, glaring at the guard who bowed before making a hasty exit.

"You should probably go," Merlin muttered darkly. "Could be important."

Uther wanted to demand Merlin show him respect, but stopped. Merlin looked exhausted, defeated almost. He probably wanted to fight about as much as Uther did right then. Maybe it would be better if they finished this conversation when they were both calmer.

"Yes… that would be best…" was all Uther said before silently slipping out, leaving Merlin to his thoughts.

Would it have been better if his father was still alive? Merlin didn't remember much about that night, only that his father died trying to rescue him. Maybe if Merlin had been the one killed Uther wouldn't hate magic so much. His dark thoughts where cut off by more knocking on his door.

Growling, Merlin stomped to the door and said as he flung it open, "I'm not in the mood to-" he froze when he saw it was Arthur and Gwaine.

"I thought you were worried about me. My mistake," Arthur teased.

Grinning, Merlin stepped aside and replied, "I was. I've just had a lot of people coming through here."

"Ah yes, the life of royalty must be so difficult," Gwaine teased, sauntering into the room and throwing himself down onto one of the chairs like he owned the room.

"Gwaine, I just wanted to say thank you for helping Arthur," Merlin said earnestly.

"It would have been so much easier if the king actually listened to me," Gwaine scoffed in return.

"Yes, he can be rather stubborn sometimes," Merlin grumbled.

"In all seriousness, though," Arthur interjected, glaring at Merlin. "Thank you. I owe you my life. You didn't have to go back and help me but… you did. Even after the way my father treated you."

Gwaine looked between the pair, his expression softening. "It was my pleasure."

"What will happen now?" Merlin asked worriedly.

"Gwaine has been pardoned of all charges and can do whatever he pleases," Arthur explained. "Uther even offered to let him stay in the castle as a way of apologizing."

"It's a nice offer but I probably won't take it," Gwaine declared, surprising them.

"Why not?" Merlin asked, genuinely confused. He thought Gwaine had liked them.

"People tend to get sick of me pretty quickly," Gwaine explained, shrugging.

"I wouldn't," Merlin assured.

"I thought you were already sick of me," Gwaine joked.

"No way," Merlin assured.

Gwaine grinned.

"Well, I guess I'll be sticking around for a while."


	104. Chapter 104

**A/N**

**Once again a huge shout out to my beta for making this chapter at least a thousand times better. She's the best!**

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><p>True to his word, Gwaine decided to stay in Camelot, much to Merlin's excitement. Gwaine was one of the few people who treated Merlin like a normal person and not just as Uther's ward. It was a refreshing change, and Merlin found himself spending more and more time with Gwaine, much to Arthur's frustration.<p>

"What will Uther think if he sees you spending so much time with a drunkard?" Arthur snapped one night after he caught Merlin sneaking back into his chambers.

"You mean the drunkard that saved your life?" Merlin retorted, much to Arthur's annoyance.

Though Merlin had found someone to confide in, life was by no means perfect. Things with Uther were still tense. Uther seemed to be avoiding Merlin whenever possible - something the young warlock did not mind for the most part. That didn't make it hurt less though when Uther forbade Morgana and Merlin from coming to greet Lord Godwyn and Princess Elena.

When Merlin had expressed this to Arthur, his friend had simply rolled his eyes and said: "You should feel lucky! Those meetings make Geoffery's lectures sound interesting!"

Despite understanding Arthur's aversion to the meetings, he was upset at Arthur's dismissal of his concerns. Gwaine, though, had been more than willing to listen to Merlin's endless complaints on the subject.

"The king once listened to what I had to say!" Merlin was saying to a slightly amused Gwaine in the safety of his chambers. Merlin was pacing briskly about the room, his arms gesturing wildly to express his frustration. "But now… I don't know what happened but… suddenly Uther stopped listening and…" Merlin sighed, collapsing into a nearby chair.

"It could be worse," Gwaine said. "The Princess seems to take you seriously. Besides meetings are one of the many things I don't miss."

Merlin grinned at his friend. "If you just told the king that you were a noble people would take _you_ seriously as well."

"I don't want people to start trusting me just because my father was a noble," Gwaine said, just as the door flew open and Arthur stormed in.

"I can't believe he'd do this!" Arthur said.

"Why, hello Arthur," Merlin drawled, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Please come in, make yourself at home."

Arthur glared sourly, then seemed to relax a little. "Alright… sorry…I just… Uther is being completely unreasonable!"

"And this is news to you because…" Gwaine commented.

"I mean more so then usual!" Arthur snapped.

"That's possible?" Gwaine asked.

The corners of Arthur's mouth to twitched slightly, only barely able to contain a weak grin.

"What's he done this time?" Merlin asked.

"Apparently all I am is strategic and pretty," Arthur grumbled, confusing Gwaine and Merlin.

"That doesn't make any sense, Arthur…" Merlin began, but Arthur cut him off.

"Apparently for years Lord Godwyn and my father have been planning an alliance."

"Aren't alliances good?" Gwaine asked.

Arthur sent him a withering glare. "To form this alliance my father and Lord Godwyn want me to marry Princess Elena! How could he expect me to marry someone I don't even love?" Arthur's ranting was cut off by a tentative knock on the door.

"Come in," Merlin called, much to Arthur's frustration.

Evan strode in carrying two platters. "Have you heard?" he began cheerfully. "Arthur is going to marry Princess Elena."

"How did you hear about that?" Arthur snapped, startling Evan.

"The servants are all talking about it…" Evan muttered, looking nervous. "They all seem very excited."

"How do they know?" Arthur asked. "I haven't even proposed yet!"

"What do you mean propose?" Gwaine asked. "Won't this alliance just include your marriage?"

"I wish…" Arthur sighed. "To make this worse, my father insists that I 'properly' propose to her in front of the kingdom. But… how can I marry her? I don't love her…"

"What are you going to do?" Merlin asked.

"I have no intention of marrying Elena," Arthur declared, looking determined.

"Are you just going to tell the king that you won't follow his orders?" Gwaine asked. "Because we all know how reasonable the king is."

Arthur glared at Gwaine but didn't comment.

"What will you do?" Merlin asked. He honestly couldn't think of anything that Arthur could do that wouldn't enrage Uther.

"I don't know," Arthur admitted. "But I will think of something."

* * *

><p>Merlin wasn't sure what Arthur planned to do, but he was pretty sure going on a horseback ride with Elena wouldn't do him much good.<p>

"It's possible he's just trying to make the most of the situation," Evan argued when Merlin pointed this out.

"Or he's accepted his fate," Gwaine said, looking smug.

"He also could be trying to please Uther," Evan added.

"The only way to please that man is to marry her," Gwaine declared.

"I'm just glad Uther would never be able to marry me off to someone like this…" Merlin groaned.

"You're the kings' ward, though. Doesn't that make you the perfect candidate?" Gwaine asked, looking confused.

"Who would marry someone with commoners for parents?" Merlin asked. "And the fact that I've always been in such poor health makes me a very poor candidate for someone's future husband."

"What you mean poor health?" Gwaine asked. "I have never once seen you sick or even remotely sick looking."

"Oh, you would be amazed by how often Merlin got sick when he was younger," Evan explained. "And when he got sick, he really got sick. Most days he would just lay in bed in a fevered confusion."

"Really…" Gwaine muttered, staring at Merlin. "What made it stop?"

"No one knows," Even replied, shrugging, instantly making Merlin uncomfortable. He knew a lot of people were wondering that, but he had no way of explaining it to anyone who asked. It's not like he could tell them that having his magic bound made him weaker and more susceptible to sickness and once his magic was free his body was able to fight illness again. Merlin knew he should tell Evan about his magic and Gwaine about _everything_ but a part of him feared the repercussions of doing so. Would they fear him like he knew Uther would or would they accept him like Arthur and Morgana had?

"Regardless, I am glad you're better now," Gwaine said, sending Merlin a genuine smile.

"Too bad Uther doesn't see that…" Merlin grumbled. "To this day, he insists on my staying inside most of the time so I "don't get sick". It's been… wow, years now since I've been that sick and yet… he still treats my like I'm too sickly to do anything…"

"It's because he cares about you," Evan assured.

"I'd argue the opposite," Gwaine said, causing Evan to scowl at him.

Despite his willingness to admit to Uther's flaws as a king, Evan continued to passionately argue that Uther did love his child and wards. Gwaine on the other hand, thought Uther was a terrible person all around. More often than not Merlin found himself agreeing with Gwaine, but for his servant's sake didn't say anything. He didn't have the heart to crush what little faith the servant seemed to have left in the king.

"He's done so much for Merlin, though!" Evan argued, looking determined.

"Oh yes," Gwain said. "Locking Merlin up when he tried to warm him of danger, putting Arthur at risk so his pride wouldn't be hurt. Oh yeah, you've really got me convinced."

Evan rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Yes those were… wrong… but he's done so ma-"

"Wrong is too kind a word," Gwaine said.

"Just because the king made a mistake doesn't mean he's a horrible father!" Evan argued.

"And I would agree if this was the first time something like this had happened," Gwaine agreed, "but from what I've heard this is far from the first time."

"He is the King," Evan said defensively.

"So what? Being king doesn't make him any less their guardian last I checked." Gwaine countered.

"He has an entire kingdom to worry about," Evan continued.

"So now you think he's a good king?" Gwaine asked, amazed.

"I'm no-" Evan began, but Merlin cut him off.

"Would you two please stop bickering?"

"We are not bickering!" Gwaine declared. "We're simply having a civil conversation."

"Your civil conversation is giving me a headache," Merlin said.

"Not getting sick, are you?" Gwaine asked, making Merlin sigh.

Things would never be quiet in Camelot, of that Merlin was certain.


	105. Chapter 105

**A/N**

**Hello everyone! Sorry this took so long, life got pretty crazy for me with finals, group projects and then my dad visiting. I'm really excited for this chapter though. It focuses entirely on Evan, and I honestly never thought I'd focus so much on an OC but he's developed a life of his own and it's just how the chapter came out. I'm really hoping I'll get a few more chapters out over the summer before I go back to school, my first quarter back will be very busy, I'll be going into a pretty intense class where I will be in the classroom at least 40 hours a week and for about two or three weeks will have a pretty intense workload outside of class so I will be swamped. Anyways sorry for the long note, enjoy!**

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><p>Evan officially hated gathering herbs. Not that he ever really <em>enjoyed<em> the task, but after today's trip he was ready to refuse even the king if he was asked to do this again. It wasn't very often that Gaius asked for Evan's assistance in collecting herbs, but with Gaius getting older, he was having more and more trouble going out to gather them himself. And, since Merlin really didn't need Evan all that much, he was the one sent to do the task. Usually Evan didn't mind. It was relaxing being able to get out of the castle, but today had been _terrible_. He had had to wade his way through waist deep mud; had nearly been killed by one of Camelot's patrols who had apparently been looking for bandits in the area and had not immediately recognized him; and, as his clothes were still drenched, had practically frozen to death while he looked to find a flower that could only be collected at night.

Lost in thought, Evan almost missed Grunhilda, Princess Elena's nurse if he remembered correctly, heading towards the woods. Curious, Evan followed her from a distance, uncertain as to why a nurse would be wandering into the woods alone at night. When she reached a lake, she sat down and looked like she was simply admiring the lake. Feeling guilty for following her like this, Evan was about to say something to her when a large tongue shot out of Grunhilda's mouth, catching a bug that flew past her.

Shocked, Evan stumbled back, only to step on a twig. He was only just able to dive out of sight before Grunhilda turned. Evan held his breath as he waited for her to go back to eating. If he stayed quiet enough surely she'd think it was an animal or something…Evan stiffened when he heard something moving, sure she would catch him and do who knows what to him. He considered his options as the movement drew closer to him. He could try and bolt for Camelot and hope the king would believe him, or he could stay here and hope she didn't find him, and neither option sounded very appealing.

Before he could decide, a deer bolted towards them, momentarily startling Grunhilda. After a few moments of silence, he heard her sitting down and heard the sound of a large tongue snapping something out of the air and he allowed himself to relax slightly. He didn't dare move from his spot however from fear of catching her attention by mistake and really getting caught. Eventually he heard he get up and start walking in what Evan guessed was the direction of Camelot.

Still, Evan didn't dare move for fear of accidentally running into her on the way back. He wasn't sure he would be able to explain why he was coming from the same area as her even with his basket…his eyes widened in horror when he realized he'd abandoned his basket in the clearing when he went to follow Grunhilda. How could he have been so stupid? It would be a miracle if she didn't see it.

Unsure what he should do, Evan sat frozen in his hiding spot for several minutes. What would she do if she found the basket? He forced himself to calm down. How could she trace that particular basket back to him? It was no different from any other basket servants used. For all she knew the person never saw her and simply wandered away from it for a few minutes. At least he hoped she would assume that was the case.

Guessing it was safe, Evan hurried back to the clearing and spent several frustrating minutes trying to locate his basket. If he couldn't even find the dumb thing while _looking _for it, what where the odds of Grunhilda finding it while _not_? Eventually he was able to find it and grab the necessary herbs before making his way back to Camelot. As he walked, he wondered what if anything he should say and to whom. He knew the King would never listen to a servant, especially one without any proof whatsoever. Merlin would probably believe him, but like Evan, he probably couldn't do much with the information. The only one who even had a _chance _of convincing the King was Arthur, but once again Evan wasn't sure if Arthur would even give him the time of day. Although he was more likely to succeed with Arthur than the King.

Evan sighed in frustration as he made his way to the physician's chambers to drop off the herbs. He tentatively knocked on the door and was immediately prompted to enter. Gaius took the basket and checked to ensure everything was there. Once he had finished, he turned to Evan.

"Did you have any trouble gathering the materials?" he asked.

Evan wanted to mention running into Grunhilda, but refrained. "No trouble at all."

Gaius gave Evan a strange look before saying, "Well that's good."

"Is there anything else you need?" Evan asked.

"No, no. That's all," Gaius said.

Evan nodded and hastily left, deciding to try and talk to Merlin about what happened. As he made his way to Merlin's chambers however, Merlin and Arthur appeared walking in the opposite direction.

"Sire, My Lord," Evan greeted, bowing as they approached.

"There's no need to bow…" Merlin sighed.

"I see you had… fun today…" Arthur said before Evan could answer.

Blushing slightly, Evan realized he was still covered in mud and who knows what else.

"Gathering herbs for Gaius…." Evan mumbled.

"Thank you for doing that," Merlin said, flashing him a genuine smile.

Evan frowned. He needed to find a way to get Merlin away from Arthur to talk to him about what he'd seen, but he didn't know how to do that without making Arthur suspicious.

"You're welcome," Evan said when he realized Merlin and Arthur were watching him. "Shall I be fetching two meals, my lords?" he added uncertainly.

"Oh right, sorry. I almost forgot," Merlin said. "The king asked us to join him for dinner."

"Oh, will you be needing me to help serve?" Evan asked.

"No, you've been out all day. Take the rest of the evening off," Merlin said, smiling.

Evan nodded. "That is very…gracious my lord."

The smile slid off of Merlin's face as he inspected the servant. "Is there something wrong Evan?" he asked.

Even tried to smile more genuinelyy. "No of course not! Just…tired…."

"Well get some rest. You deserve it," Merlin told him, flashing another smile at him before continuing down the hall. Arthur, however, gave him a questioning look before continuing on after Merlin.

Once they were gone Evan let out a frustrated groan. Arthur saw right through him, he knew it. Who knows how long it would take Evan to get Merlin alone to talk to him. A part of him wondered how smart it was to even say anything to Merlin though. He still only had his word about the tongue and it was possible Evan was just seeing things. Or that she was simply an innocent creature of some sort trying to live a normal life. Though from what he had seen, creatures like her didn't come to Camelot for innocent reasons. More times than not, magical creatures got a lot of people killed, like his family. And he refused to let that happen to anyone else's family if he could avoid it.

If she was a threat someone who could do something needed to know, but Evan first needed to figure out for sure if she was really a threat. Maybe it was a good thing Merlin couldn't talk to him right away. Since he had the evening off, Merlin wouldn't notice his disappearance and he could try and see if he could get any more evidence on Grunhilda. A part of him feared what would happen if he was caught but he pushed the thought out of him mind, their where guards everywhere, if she tried anything he could run until he found a guard. Besides, Grunhilda couldn't move nearly as quickly as he could. With that thought in mind, he carefully made his way to Elena's chambers, climbing on a stool to get a good look inside.

The servant quickly spotted the princess sleeping restlessly, thrashing and crying out in her bed. Grunhilda quickly approached her and sprinkled some dust on her face as it momentarily changed into something very inhuman.

Shocked, Evan stumbled back, only for him to tumble off the chair crashing loudly onto the floor. He scrambled to his feet and raced as far away from the princess's chambers as possible, praying he hadn't been spotted.

Once he was a safe distance away, Evan collapsed against a wall, breathing heavily. Elena and Grunhilda were definitely not human. He had no idea however what they were. It was times like this that Evan cursed the king for destroying all magical artifacts. How was he supposed to figure out _what_ they were without any information?

He wanted to talk to Merlin, but he was positive they would still be dining. Glancing down at his clothes, Evan decided it was probably a good idea to try and wash himself. He could talk to Merlin once he was clean.

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><p>After spending a good half hour scrubbing every inch of his body, Evan made his way to Merlin's chambers. It was late, so few people wandered the halls. He could only hope Merlin was still awake. As he approached the door to Merlin's chambers, he caught a flash of light out of the corner of his eye. Curious, he glanced over, jumping when he saw a small blue creature that was flying not too far from his face.<p>

Evan jumped away from the creature with a shout as it fired a bolt at him. He only just managed to dive out of the way, watching with alarm as the place he had been sizzled. His shout apparently drew Merlin's attention because seconds later Evan spotted him peering out of his chambers in confusion. When he spotted Evan his eyes widened and he dove back into his room.

Evan could only hope the creature didn't notice Merlin. Before the creature could attack again Merlin appeared in the hallway.

"Leave him alone!" Melin shouted with an air of command.

The creature turned its attention to Merlin, who was clutching a strange looking staff. Before the creature could attack, Merlin's eyes flashed gold as he sent a bolt of magic at the creature, causing it to explode. Merlin carefully examined the hallway before turning his attention to Evan.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Evan wasn't sure what to do or think. Merlin had magic. Merlin was a sorcerer!

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><p><strong>End Notes<strong>

**So what did you guys think? How do you think Evan take the reveal? **


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